Over the Rainbow
by Arsinyk
Summary: Ginny struggles with her sexuality. Warning: slash, sexual harrasment, eventually femslash
1. Chapter 1

Summery: Ginny struggles with her sexuality. Warnings: slash, sexual harrasment, eventually femslash

Disclaimer: Just in case you think I'm J.K. Rowling, I'm not. I don't own any of these characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue me, I'm broke.

A/N: Just warning you that this is going be primarily about Ginny. That means that there won't be much more about Draco, though I'm thinking of writing a sequel in which Draco will have a much larger role... but maybe I should focus on finishing this one first.

* * *

She's lying next to me... sleeping. I watch the slow, steady rise and fall of her chest as she sleeps. Her face is relaxed, her lips almost smiling as she dreams. I reach out and trace my finger along her bare shoulder. She smiles, snuggling closer to me. I kiss her lightly on the forehead and pull her closer.

Lying there, her head on my breast, her arms around me, it all seems so simple. So perfect. Like everything is right with the world.

But it's not. Not even close. And it's taken us so long, cost us so much, just to get _here_.

I don't really know where to begin. She would say to start at the beginning and go on from there, but the problem is that I don't really know when the beginning was. Every time I think I have it pinpointed, I remember something else that came before. But I guess I'll start in the dungeons during my fifth year.

  


Ginny Weasley hurried down the cold, dark corridor to potions. She hated being in the dungeons. They always made her feel nervous and unsettled – like something was going to jump out from the shadows and _get_ her. And she was always afraid of running into some Slytherin, or worse Professor Snape.

She rounded a corner and stopped short when she saw two Slytherins standing in the hallway. She knew she should turn around and leave, but instead she hid behind the wall and watched.

Draco Malfoy was whispering something urgently to Blaise Zabini.

Blaise laughed. "Sure, Draco. Whatever you say," he snorted sarcastically.

Draco tensed, grabbing the other boy by the shoulders and shoving him roughly against the wall.

Blaise wasn't laughing anymore. Draco shifted until he had Blaise pinned against the wall between his legs. Then he leaned forward and kissed Blaise – hard and fierce – until the boy looked away in disgust.

"Now do you believe me?" Draco breathed harshly into his ear.

"Faggot," Blaise spat in disgust and horror. "Filthy _queer_."

Draco's grip on Blaise's shoulder tightened as the boy began to struggle under his grip. The boy started to squirm, trying to free himself from Draco, but Draco only laughed and began grinding his hips against Blaise's crotch. Blaise flushed and stilled. Draco leaned forward, whispering something softly in Blaise's ear that made the other boy flush even darker.

"Bastard," he breathed. Draco simply licked the boy's ear. Blaise began struggling again, panic and revulsion clear on his face.

Draco shoved him roughly back against the wall and a second later her had his wand pressed against the boys throat.

"Bastard," Blaise whispered again.

Draco smiled a small, evil smile and slid his free hand down from Blaise's shoulder across his chest, then underneath his shirt.

"Faggot," Blaise choked.

Draco's eyes snapped to Blaise's. "Shut up or I'll hex you." He took his hand from under Blaise's shirt and traced a finger along the boy's jaw and down his throat. Noticing Blaise's hand inching towards his own wand, Draco laughed, reaching down and grabbing it. He raised his eyebrows at Blaise and tossed the wand down the hallway.

Ginny froze as she saw it rolling towards her and drew further back into the shadows. She should leave now. She knew she should. But somehow, she couldn't. She could only stand there and watched in fascinated horror as Draco resumed his harassment of the other Slytherin.

Now Draco's hand was moving under Blaise's shirt again. He rested it on the boy's hip, leaning forwards to kiss him again. Blaise tried to bite him and Draco snapped his head back.

"Well, if you're going to be that way about it... _Imperious! _Now hold still." Blaise froze and Draco resumed his kissing, slipping his fingers into Blaise's pants. And Blaise simply stood there, relaxed and helpless as Draco moved his mouth over the boy's lips and ran his hands along his hips and ass, beneath loose robes and pants. But Ginny could still see the fear and revulsion in his eyes and it seemed that Draco could too because after a few moments he stopped and stepped back, releasing the boy.

"Go get your wand," he told the boy. Blaise did, putting it away before turning back to Draco – waiting for further instructions. And Draco sighed and said, "_Finite!_"

Blaise tensed as if not certain whether to attack Draco or run away. But Draco didn't give him the chance to decide, whispering "_Obliviate!_" at the boy.

Blaise blinked in confusion and then smiled at Draco. "Oh, hello Draco." His greeting was friendly and painfully innocent.

Draco gave him a sad smile of greeting. "Hi Blaise."

And Blaise hurried past him, without a clue in the world about what had just happened. Draco watched him go and Ginny glimpsed briefly an expression of such longing, despair, and shame that Ginny felt a sudden sympathy for him before remembering that he was a Slytherin and therefore the enemy and furthermore he had just been sexually harassing another student (okay, that had been more that just _harassment_).

But she still found herself feeling almost sorry for Draco as he slid to the floor, burying his face in his arms, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

* * *

Back in her dormitory that evening, Ginny lay in her bed trying to get to sleep. But the image of Draco sitting on the floor of the dungeons, crying silent tears of despair and shame kept coming back to her.

Seeing him like that, so totally disarmed and vulnerable and weak had made him seem... almost _human_ in a way he never had before.

And she knew what he had been feeling. She knew what it was like to watch your crush day after day as they remained so blissfully innocent. Tempting you, torturing you with their beautiful, perfect bodies. Totally oblivious to the extent of your feelings for them. Oh yes, she knew the torture of watching your friend and _wanting_ them so bad it hurt and not daring to even hope for them because it was impossible for them to ever love you back and you knew it. She knew the pain of lying to all your friends and wanting so desperately to tell them the truth but knowing that you couldn't because if you did they would hate you even more than you hated yourself. Because it was wrong, so very wrong. And she knew well the desperate longing and shame she had seen in Draco's eyes as he watched Blaise leave.

How often had she cried herself to sleep, feeling so weak because she couldn't bring herself to say three, simple words? _I love you_.

But Draco had worked up the courage and Blaise had walked away. Had looked at him with disgust and hatred, had called him 'fagot,' and had walked away. Telling Blaise hadn't done Draco any good. It had only confirmed the knowledge that Blaise would never, could never love Draco.

Because Draco was evil. Blaise's parents were former Death Eaters. The boy was all but counting the days until he graduated so that he could join You-Know-Who. And even he believed that what Draco felt was wrong. He adored the creature that had terrorized the wizarding world for years and even he understood that boys were supposed to love girls and that girls were supposed to love boys and that was the way it worked. And if even a _Slytherin_ thought that it was wrong, evil for a girl to love girl then what hope did she have with her friends?

Ginny rolled over and closed her eyes as if she block out her problems just by closing her eyes. A cool, wet tear traced its way slowly down her face. What was she supposed to do? Her parents and teachers had taught her what to do if she was kidnapped or attacked or insulted or offered drugs or encountered a Death Eater, but no one had told her what to do when she wanted the person she most emphatically couldn't have and wanted them so bad it hurt. No one had explained what to do when you find that your desires, the attraction and love that feel so real, are so very wrong, so evil? What do you do when you finally learn what it is to love someone, only to find that it's the wrong person? What could she do other than to lie and pretend to like boys and try to hide the attraction that seemed stronger and more painful with every passing day?

And now Ginny was crying, as silent and hopelessly as Draco had. Hot, salty tears soaking into her pillow. She cried until she fell into an uneasy sleep.****


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning at breakfast, Ginny spotted Draco easily. He was sitting where he always did at the Slytherin table. At first, he seemed so confident and relaxed that she wondered if she had dreamed the whole thing. But then she noticed his gaze continually wandering to a certain Slytherin boy. He was very discrete about it, even more so than she was when she watched her crush out of the corner of her eye, and Ginny doubted that anyone would have noticed the direction of his gaze unless they were looking for it. But he was watching Blaise, who was once again clueless. And Ginny smiled, feeling somehow better knowing that she wasn't the only one who felt this way... even if the only other person was Draco – a Slytherin and, well, a boy.

Ginny returned her gaze to the brown-haired witch sitting across from her brother and bit her lip as the girl laughed at something Ron said, wishing more than anything she had made Hermione laugh instead of Ron.

  


  


"Hey, can you help me with my charms homework?"

Hermione nodded, sliding over to make room for Ginny on the couch. They were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, relaxing after dinner. Harry and Ron were having a detention with Snape, Ginny couldn't remember what for. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they weren't here and Hermione was alone. Part of her felt terrible for feeling so happy that Ron and Harry were having detention with Snape, of all people, but that really wasn't her fault and she might as well take advantage of the opportunity to spend time with Hermione.

"What are you having trouble with?" Ginny blushed and showed Hermione her assignment. It was really quite simple, but it was the only homework she had that night and she had no intention of letting a perfectly good chance to be alone with Hermione go to waste. Hermione raised an eyebrow when she saw what the assignment was, but she didn't comment and for the next hour; Ginny had her beloved all to herself.

Seeing Harry and Ron entered the room, Ginny felt her heart sink. Hermione followed her gaze and brightened when she saw her friends.

"So, how was your detention?" she asked as they flopped unceremoniously down on the sofa across from Hermione and Ginny.

"Not so bad," Ron replied with a grin. "We're back, aren't we?"

The four of them laughed, though Ginny's laugh was slightly forced.

"It's getting late. We should go to bed," Hermione told them, yawning. "We have a test tomorrow, after all."

"I think I can finish the last of this on my own," Ginny told her. Hermione nodded and got up. Ron and Harry followed her out of the common room and Ginny turned back to her homework so that she wouldn't see Hermione kiss Harry good-night.

  
  


After that, it became something of a routine. Every night Ginny would ask Hermione for help with her homework, no matter how easy the assignment was. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with Hermione, to be able to watch her and listen to her. To sit close enough to smell her and feel her hair tickling Ginny's face. To have Hermione's attention focused on her and only her.

And everyday Ginny would see Hermione with Harry, smiling and holding hands and kissing and happy and she would suppress her rising jealousy and despair and smile and try to be happy for them.

  


Ginny was sitting in the library, reading _Hogwarts a History_ and waiting for Hermione to arrive to help her with her homework. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail and was wearing light purple eye shadow and lip gloss. Yesterday she had found a spell to keep make-up from smudging or wearing off until you caste the counter-spell and so far it was working beautifully. She was still looking for a spell to lighten her freckles. At some point, Ginny had taken to wearing make-up and doing her hair up nice whenever she knew she would be seeing Hermione, which was now everyday. She wasn't sure why she did it, seeing as Hermione was straight and had a boyfriend, but she still wanted to look pretty in front of the girl. And Hermione had even complemented her on it occasionally, which had made Ginny practically glow with pleasure.

_Hogwarts a History_ was actually somewhat interesting in places, though most of it was dull enough to rival Professor Binn's classes. Still, it gave her something in common with Hermione (who was, to the best of Ginny's knowledge, the only student ever to attend Hogwarts who had read the thing) not to mention something she could talk about with Hermione. She supposed that the girl must find it strange that she could discuss _Hogwarts a History_ or the theories behind newly invented spells (Ginny had also started reading the 'Magical Research' section of the _Daily Prophet_) but couldn't manage to transform a knife into a spoon or cast a simple levitation spell, but Hermione had never commented on it.

Ginny's attention began to wander from the book. She was in the middle of a particularly dry chapter about some former headmaster and his 'radical, new teaching methods' (which were now standard practice). Realizing that she had been reading the same sentence for about three minutes, she sighed and shut the book. She could continue later.

Ginny picked up the book her mother had given her for her birthday. It was a fictional book about a pureblood witch who was forced to live with muggles for a year and fell in love with a muggle boy and then spent the next 200 pages agonizing over whether it was okay to love a muggle. Ginny was about halfway through and almost ready to give up and find something else to read. In her opinion, the witch was being an absolute twit about the whole thing and boy should just ditch her and go find himself another girl. Not to mention how much it irritated her that the witch was staying with a beautiful, fun muggle-born witch who she could only seem to think of in terms of 'you're trying to steal _my_ man' (the same man I can't even make up my mind as to whether I'm allowed to like or not).

But the book had been a gift, so Ginny would try to finish it.

She looked up briefly as three Slytherin girls sat down at the table next to hers and began talking loudly about this and that. Ginny was about to move somewhere quieter when she heard one of them giggle, "I bet she's lesbian."

Now Ginny was listening, book forgotten.

Another girl laughed. "Of course she is. The hottest guy in the school asks her out and she says no."

"Yeah, and have you seen the way she watches Pansy?" The three girls burst into a fit of giggles.

"I bet they've already fucked each other," giggled the first girl.

"I bet Draco was watching," replied the second.

"Perverts."

"Dykes."

"I bet You-Know-Who'll set them straight." They laughed again.

Trying hard not to cry, Ginny put away her books, picked up her bag, and left the library, homework and Hermione forgotten.

  


She was the only one in her dormitory. The other girls were all in the common room or outside enjoying the last of the autumn warmth. Dumping her bag on the floor, Ginny flung herself on her bed, burying her face in her pillow.

She wasn't sure why the Slytherin girl's words had hurt her so much. They were Slytherins, after all, and it wasn't as if she cared about their opinions. They hadn't even been talking about her. But she had heard the girls (and boys) in her own House saying similar things. And it hurt. It hurt when her friends giggled and said that so-and-so was gay and oh, wasn't that so sick and wrong. It hurt when one of her friends or her mother would give her some book about a girl who fell in love with a boy. It hurt when her friends would sit giggling and drooling over some celebrity in one of the _Teen Witch_ magazines or going on about some hot boy in their class and she hated it when her mother would point out the 'cute' boys in her year or comment on some 'hot' quidditch player or singer. And somehow hearing girls she didn't even know, _Slytherin_ girls, saying the same things hurt even more. It seemed that the only thing that everyone agreed on was that being gay was wrong. Everyone from You-Know-Who to Dumbledore to her own parents agreed that homosexuals were perverted and sick and evil.

And they were, weren't they? It _was_ wrong. Boys love girls and girls love boys. That was the way the world was supposed to work.

Draco was certainly evil. His parents were Death Eaters and he himself worshiped You-Know-Who. And then there was what he had done to Blaise... Even if she could see why he might have done that, it was still wrong. Wrong to do that to your friend and then cast a spell to make them forget. And how did Ginny know that that was the only time Draco had done something like that? What was to stop him from doing it again and again? The worst part was that she found herself feeling sorrier for him than for Blaise or any of his other victims, found herself envious of the strength he had to tell his friend the truth and the cold heartlessness it must have taken to then erase his friend's memory.

And if she was so sympathetic towards Draco, what did that say about her? Didn't that make her just as bad?

Did it even matter? She was lesbian after all; she had no doubts about that anymore. But was she really... evil?

And then she remembered her first year at Hogwarts, the year when she had been possessed by You-Know-Who's diary and unleashed a basilisk on the school. Even then, she had been evil. Or maybe she had just been screwed up ever since.

She was crying aloud now, unable to control her tears of self-hatred and despair. She cried until she was hoarse and her eyes were red and puffy and her nose was swollen. And when she finally calmed, she lay on her bed for a long time, staring out the window at the sun in the clear blue sky and the tops of the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Wisps of pale clouds drifted by peacefully, birds called, and the other students laughed and joked and Ginny could only watch through her window, cut off, alone, an outsider. Forgotten and unloved. And she knew that she deserved it.

After a time she got up and walked over to the window, looking down on the school grounds, spread out below her like a painting. Hundreds of tiny heads moved about below her, indistinct except for one cluster of three heads she would have recognized anywhere. Red, black, and brown, sitting by the lake. She watched the three of them until they got up and started walking towards the castle. Then she shifted her gaze to the sky, studying the clouds. She saw a dragon, white and wispy, floating through the sky. Shifting as the wind blew it until the dragon was gone and it became a woman, long arms outstretched, skirt flowing out behind her. Then her skirt shifted until there was another woman, her skirt blurring into the first woman's, her arm blending with the first woman's hair until it seemed that her head had turned so that the two now faced each other. The outline of the second woman's arm and the first woman's hair and neck and their skirts forming a heart in the sky.

Ginny spun around as she heard the door to her dormitory open.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, startled.

"You weren't in the library. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Ginny winced guiltily. She hadn't meant to worry Hermione. It was just that... no, that didn't matter. "Well, I'm fine," Ginny told the older witch. "I hope you didn't wait for me long."

Hermione frowned. "You've been crying, haven't you?"

Ginny flushed. "No. What would I have to cry about?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. Would you like to talk about it, whatever it is?"

Ginny shook her head in annoyance. "I already told you. Nothing's wrong, I wasn't crying. Everything's fine."

Hermione looked concerned and Ginny mentally cursed her for wasting her concern on someone like Ginny.

"You were crying. Your eyes are all red, your eye shadow's smudged, and your voice is hoarse. What's wrong?"

Ginny closed her eyes, wishing for the first time in her life that Hermione would just _go away_. "Nothing's wrong. I don't want to talk about it. Now just leave me alone!"

Hermione shrugged and left. Ginny watched her go, feeling like she had lost something important. She almost called after Hermione, asking her to stay, asking her listen. But she couldn't quite gather the courage and anyway, she had seen where that had gotten Draco.

So instead, she turned back to the window, trying to find the two women in the sky. But they were gone and the cloud was just a cloud again. New tears welled in her eyes, spilling over her cheeks as she stared out the window, watching the clouds. But she couldn't see any more shapes in them and eventually she turned away from the window to start on her homework. Alone.

  


  
  
That evening, Ginny found Hermione sitting in the common room with Harry and Ron. She walked over to the girl.

"Hey."

Hermione looked up and smiled when she saw Ginny. "Hi." She and Harry slid over on the sofa until there was room for Ginny.

Ginny sat down next to Hermione. "Sorry about... earlier," she apologized softly.

Hermione shrugged. "It's okay. Do you need help with your homework?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, I finished it already."

Hermione nodded. "So, _is_ there anything you want to talk about, or should I just mind my own business?"

Ginny glanced around the common room. "Not right now," she told Hermione.

Hermione looked around the almost full common room. "Later?" she asked.

Ginny shrugged. "Maybe." She got up again. "I'd better get to bed."

Hermione nodded. Ginny glanced at Harry and Hermione's joined hands and hurried upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione was already there when Ginny arrived in the library. They were the only two there, other than Madame Pince. Hermione was sitting by the window and Ginny paused to look at her. She was truly beautiful with her long, wild, curly, mouse brown falling loose over her shoulders, chewing her lower lip slightly as she focused her book, her eyes narrowed in concentration...

Ginny shook herself out of her reverie before Hermione caught her staring.

Hermione looked up as Ginny sat down across from her.

"Hi. Got much homework?"

Ginny shook her head. "Just a little potions work. You?"

Hermione laughed. "Oh, I'm already finished with all my homework."

It didn't take them long to finish Ginny's work and when it was done, they decided to go outside and enjoy the sunshine.

It had snowed the previous night and a light dust of white powder covered the earth. The air was cold and fresh and the sky was clear blue.

They walked together around the lake and Ginny had to resist the temptation slip her arm around Hermione's waist or to take the witch's hand or something equally incriminating.

"So," Hermione began awkwardly after a few minutes of walking in silence. "Do you want to tell me what happened yesterday?"

Ginny laughed nervously. "You're still going on about that?"

"You looked really upset and I have no idea why."

Ginny looked away. What was she going to tell Hermione?

_I overheard some Slytherin girls making fun of some other Slytherin girls by calling them lesbian and I got really upset because I'm lesbian so I went up to my dormitory and threw a fit._

It seemed so silly now, not to mention that explaining what was wrong would involve admitting to Hermione that she was lesbian, which she wasn't about to do. If she herself couldn't accept that part of who she was, how could she expect someone else to?

So Ginny shrugged. "It was nothing. I just got a little... upset."

"I could see that. And it must have been something to have you so upset."

Ginny sighed. "I guess... I've just been a little moody lately. It really isn't that important."

Hermione shrugged. "Okay then. Just remember that you can always talk to me."

Ginny nodded. "Hey, you want to go for a fly?"

Hermione shook her head. "No... I don't really like flying very much..."

Ginny laughed. "Why not? It's fun. You aren't afraid of heights, are you?"

Hermione shook her head. "No... It's just..."

"Then come on. No one else is around. I'll help you out. It'll be fun." Ginny gave her a pleading look.

Hermione laughed and muttered something about 'famous last words,' but she nodded her agreement and Ginny grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the castle to go get their brooms.

A few minutes later, they were both standing outside again, brooms in hand. Ginny waited for Hermione to mount before kicking off. Hermione followed her into the sky, knuckles white from her grip on the broom.

Ginny flew slowly at first, letting Hermione relax and get used to flying. It was obvious that she didn't fly very often, but Ginny already knew that. When Hermione seemed to have relaxed somewhat, Ginny sped up a little. Hermione followed a few feet behind her, mimicking her movements. Ginny looked over her shoulder at Hermione and smiled at the sight of the girl's flushed, smiling face.

"See, this isn't so bad, is it?" Ginny called back to her and was rewarded with a giddy laugh.

Ginny swerved to the left, then the right, flying higher, then lower with Hermione following the every curve and dip of her flight. Nothing fancy, just simple stuff a first year could do. But having Hermione there, following her and for once in her life actually _enjoying_ flying made it as exhilarating and exiting exciting as if she had been doing the Wronski Feint.

By the time they landed, laughing and rosy-cheeked, the sun was just setting, staining the sky red and orange.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Hermione breathed.

Ginny nodded.

Hermione glanced at her. "It's almost the color of you hair," she joked.

Ginny giggled. "Come on. Let's go inside before we freeze to death."

Ron and Harry looked up from a game of wizard chess as the two of them entered the common room.

"Where've you been?" Ron asked.

"Flying," Ginny replied easily.

Harry blinked at her in amazement. "_Flying_? You actually got Hermione to go _flying_?"

Ginny nodded smugly.

Harry and Ron turned to Hermione, who shrugged, kissed Harry good-night, and went up to bed.

Still smiling, Ginny seated herself in one of the chairs and picked up _Hogwarts a History_.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who commented.  
Steelsheen, thanks for reading my stuff. I'm glad you liked my stories, especially since you don't usually read HP (now I really have to read your stories... runs off to do just that). i, no I don't think I'm lesbian. But with luck things will work out for Ginny in the end (unless I loose control of the story and it developes into something completely different from what I've planned, which is entirely possible). Kashiga, here's my update. Hope you like it. And to Orange, thanks a million for being my beta. You know I love you (along with the rest of the cete)...  



	4. Chapter 4

That year, Mrs. Weasley invited both Harry and Hermione to the Burrow for Christmas, since Percy, Fred, and George had all moved out. It was the first year any of them had actually left Hogwarts for Christmas, since Harry wasn't about to go back to the Dursleys', the Weasleys preferred to stay at school where it was less crowded, and Hermione always stayed because her friends stayed.

Despite having an empty room, – Percy's old room had been converted into a study (which had basically involved removing the bed) in an attempt to distance the Weasleys from his memory – Harry still decided to share a room with Ron, saying that the twins probably had their old bedroom booby trapped (which was probably true) and Hermione opted to stay in Ginny's room for the same reason.

They ate dinner early on Christmas Eve and the four children went straight to bed instead of staying up talking or playing wizard chess or whatever like they usually did.

Sometime during the night, it began to snow – fat, white flakes falling from the velvety black sky to coat the earth in white and in the morning, after opening their presents and eating a quick breakfast, the four children ran outside for a snowball fight.

Teaming up boys against girls, they spent hours charming wads of wet snow to fly through the air at each other until Mrs. Weasley called them inside for a small lunch. As they ate lunch, Fred and George arrived with more gifts and Charlie showed up a few minutes later.

After they finished eating, the seven children when outside again for a game of quidditch. They even let Ginny play, after a little persuasion from Hermione (who had volunteered to referee).

Ginny couldn't help grinning smugly Charlie expressed his amazement at her skill, commenting that he hadn't even known she could fly a broom. Another time she might have been insulted by that, but just then she wasn't in the mood to be insulted.

Bill arrived with his girlfriend, Fleur, and joined them for the second game. Fleur stood on the ground, watching.

Ginny did her best not to be distracted by the two beautiful girls watching their game, doing a somewhat better job than her brothers.

By the time they came inside, it was getting dark out and Mrs. Weasley had finished making dinner.

Ginny found herself sandwiched between Hermione and Fleur and she couldn't decide if she was glad or not. Part of her was thrilled to be sitting between two lovely girls, but they were also a reminder of what she was and she was terrified that she would do something to give herself away.

She felt like she was sitting at a table of unsuspecting muggles or something, trying desperately to hide that she was a witch, but not sure how. Only she wasn't trying to conceal that she was a witch, but something worse, much worse. That she was lesbian.

No, she shouldn't think about that. If she did, someone would notice how distracted she was for sure, and she really didn't want to deal with that.

After dessert, they opened her brothers' presents and then Ginny excused herself and went up to bed. She didn't really want to be around anyone anymore. Their innocent talk, which seemed to focus on who was dating who and who the hottest celebrities were made her decidedly uncomfortable. And then Charlie had asked her if she was still dating Michael Corner. She had told him as nonchalantly as she could that no, she had dumped him and no, she didn't have another boyfriend yet and the discussion had moved on, but she had been left feeling very much like an outsider.

Now she lay on her bed, facing the wall, not quite crying, and wondering what was wrong with her. Why she couldn't just be normal, like everyone else.

She was so absorbed in her depression that she didn't even notice when the door opened. She jumped when she felt a hand on her hip and rolled over to see Fleur sitting delicately on the edge of her bed.

"What–"

Fleur put a finger to Ginny's lips, silencing her.

"It's okay," Fleur whispered. Her time with Bill had lightened her French accent, though it was still here.

Ginny blinked at the girl in confusion, trying her best to ignore her pale ivory skin, ice blue eyes, the silken waterfall of platinum blond hair spilling gracefully over her perfect, delicate shoulders. Tried to focus her gaze on that beautiful face and not her plunging neckline and those full, soft breasts. Tried not to loose herself in those enchanting, hypnotic blue eyes or the soft, shiny pinkness of her small lips.

Her nose. If Ginny could just focus on her beautiful, small, proud nose...

Fleur leaned forwards and kissed her. Soft lips, gentle. So gentle.

Smiling, Fleur sat back and brushed her long, graceful fingers across Ginny's cheek.

"I know and it's okay," Fleur whispered again, and gently murmured a sleeping spell in Ginny's ear.

  
  


When Ginny woke, it was morning and Fleur was gone. Hermione lay sleeping in the cot next to Ginny's bed.

Ginny closed her eyes, remembering Fleur. She didn't want to think about why Fleur had kissed her. She just wanted to savor the memory for as long as she could.

Rolling over, she noticed a bag beside her pillow. Glancing over at Hermione to make sure the girl was still sleeping; she sat up and opened it.

Inside she found a book and a note. She read the note first.

_ I did not want to give you this in front of your parents, but I think that you would like it. I know you like Hermione. I could see the way you looked at her two years ago and I can see it every time someone mentions her when you are around. I've noticed the way you look at me and at her and it's okay. You are okay. I am not very good at saying things, I am better at doing things. I love your brother Bill very much, but that does not mean I cannot see how beautiful you are and I just wanted to tell you that it's okay.  
As I said, I'm not very good with words.   
_

_Fleur   
_

Ginny read the note twice, not sure what to think. How could it be okay? And what did Fleur want her to do now? Putting those questions aside, Ginny looked at the book.

The cover was almost exactly like that of the books her mother bought her that she hated so much, with one difference. Instead of having a boy and girl, the cover depicted two young girls dressed in school robes and smiling lovingly at each other.

Ginny looked over her shoulder to check that Hermione was still asleep, then opened the book and started reading.

Ginny jumped at a movement behind her. She hurriedly shoved the book under her pillow and looked over to see Hermione sitting up and rubbing her eyes blearily.

"'Morning Ginny," the witch said, yawning.

Ginny smiled, suppressing her annoyance at having been interrupted in her reading, which surprised her. She was usually glad of an interruption when she was reading.

"'Morning Hermione."

The two girls pulled on their clothes and went downstairs for breakfast. Her mother was already up and bustling about the kitchen, but the boys were still in bed, as usual. Ginny absently watched Hermione over her breakfast, noticing, not for the first time, how methodically she ate. First she ate her pancakes, then her toast, then her bacon, and finally she drank her milk. Ginny tended to just eat whatever happened to be closest to her fork.

By the time Ron and Harry stumbled sleepily downstairs, Hermione and Ginny were already finished with breakfast.

"Wanna go for a fly while Harry and Ron eat?" Ginny suggested.

Hermione nodded. "Sure."

Outside the air was cool. The two girls flew high over the trees and the Burrow, reveling in the feeling of the wind blowing through their hair.

Ginny tried not to think about Fleur and the book and instead found herself watching Hermione. The girl's flying skills had improved with practice, though she would never be a champion quidditch player or anything.

Still, it made Ginny proud to know that it had been her, and only her, who could persuade Hermione to try flying and selfishly pleased to know that Hermione still refused to go flying with anyone other than Ginny.

After a while, Harry and Ron came outside with their brooms and joined them in the sky.

  


  
On the last night before they returned to Hogwarts Ginny lay awake for a long time. She didn't want to go back to school, didn't want to give up the time she had with Hermione. Didn't want to give up going to sleep in the bed next to her.

When she thought Hermione was sleeping, she sat up on her elbow and studied Hermione's face. She was beautiful, so much more beautiful than Ginny with her freckles and ugly, red hair and too-long limbs and tiny breasts.

Suddenly Ginny didn't want to lie to Hermione any more. She wanted to tell her that she loved her. More than anything else in the world, she wanted to tell Hermione that she loved the brown-haired witch and just then, she didn't care what Hermione thought or how much she hated Ginny because of it. She just wanted to get it off her chest.

But Hermione was sleeping, and anyway, Ginny wasn't even sure _how_ she would tell her. What would she say? How could she put the thoughts and feelings that had been consuming her for so long into words that the other witch might understand? She had no idea.

She watched Hermione for a long time before rolling over and falling into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Classes started and once again, Ginny would go to Hermione for help with her homework. But she found that she could no longer focus on her school work. She still wanted to tell Hermione she was lesbian. She wanted to tell everyone, anyone... just to get it off her chest.

And she was beginning to hope that maybe, just maybe, someone else might understand and not hate her. After all, Fleur had hardly hated her for it, had hardly thought it was wrong or perverted or evil. And the book Fleur had given her was proof that she couldn't be the only one who felt like this, that someone was actually comfortable enough with it to write about it and that more people were comfortable enough with their sexualities to buy the book. Which meant that it couldn't be all that bad, could it?

Not to mention that Anna, the main character, seemed to be feeling almost _exactly_ the same things Ginny was feeling. The same confusion and longing and shame and despair. The same desire to tell someone, the same uncertainty of how they would take it, the same fear of rejection, and the same uncertainty of how to say it even if she did decide to tell anyone.

Ginny sat in the library next to Hermione, trying to focus on what the girl was saying but distracted with wondering how she could Hermione she was lesbian. What would the girl think if she knew Ginny was lesbian? What would she say, how would she feel? What would her response be?

For a moment, Ginny considered just saying it, here and now. 'Hermione, I'm lesbian.' Would she stare in horror? Would she run away? Would she smile and shrug and say okay? Ginny found herself forming the words silently on her lips, as inconspicuously as she could. _I'm lesbian. I love you. I love you._

"Are you even listening to me?" Hermione asked in annoyance, jolting her back to the real world.

"What? Er... yeah..."

Hermione looked unconvinced. "Are you sure you're feeling alright? You've been acting weirdly for weeks. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Ginny tensed. This was her chance, her chance to just tell the girl and get it off her chest. She had to say it. She was thinking it, screaming it inside her head. _I'm lesbian, Hermione, and I love you!_

"I... uh... nothing. I'm just a little... stressed. That's all," Ginny muttered, silently cursing herself for chickening out.

Hermione gave her a worried look. "Alright then. Maybe we should take a break. This assignment isn't due for another week, anyway."

Ginny nodded and grabbed her books, walking back to her dormitory and silently cursing herself. Why couldn't she just say it? It wasn't hard. Three little words. _I am lesbian. _Not hard. But she couldn't say it.

* * *

A/N: Kashiaga: yeah, the last chapter was kinda short, but I think this one's a bit longer. Orange: cete, slashiness, and really bad eggs!! Whee!! (I'm almost done w/ RJL...)  



	5. Chapter 5

Ginny had quidditch practice that day, but once again, she couldn't focus. Usually quidditch could take her mind off anything, but today all she could think about was how much she wished she had told Hermione when she had had the chance. And she started wondering what would happen if she just screamed it now, for the entire world (though mostly her teammates) to hear. What would they think, if they knew? What would they do? By the time practice was over, Ginny had come to a decision. She would go up to the Gryffindor common room and tell Hermione, right then and there.

When she landed, Harry – now captain of the Gryffindor team – asked her if she was feeling alright. She told him she was just a little stressed from all her school work and he nodded understanding.

Ginny thought the words in her head as she walked up the Gryffindor common room. _Hermione, I'm lesbian. I love you. _That was all she needed to say, and she was going to say it just as soon as she saw the girl.

She had to pause to think of the password (since it wasn't lesbian, Hermione, or love), but after a second of thought she gave it to the Fat Lady and climbed through the portrait hole.

Looking around, she was appalled by the number of people there. It seemed that every Gryffindor currently attending Hogwarts had nowhere better to be at that very moment than in the common room. Ginny began to loose her nerve by the time she spotted Hermione. The girl was curled up with some 'light reading' (a 500 page advanced transfiguration textbook). Ginny took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?"

Hermione looked up from her book. "Sure," she said, sliding over to make room on the sofa for Ginny.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to you somewhere... more... private." Ginny managed, her mouth dry.

Hermione gave her a concerned, and slightly confused, look, and nodded. "My dorm? I don't think anyone else is there just now."

Ginny nodded. She would have preferred her own dormitory, but at least this way it would be easier for her to run away if she needed to.

Hermione led the way up to her room. Ginny sat down next to her on the bed and opened her mouth, but her mind went blank. What was she supposed to say again? She couldn't remember, couldn't think.

"I... err... I mean I... I just wanted to tell you... um..." Ginny looked away from Hermione's questioning eyes. "Er... that is... uh... I..." She glanced back at Hermione and continued in a rush, "I'mgayandIloveyou." She felt her cheeks flame and stared at her hands as if they were the most interesting things in the world, unable to look at Hermione for fear of the hatred or disgust or rejection she might see there. Why had she done this again? What on earth had made her think telling Hermione was an even remotely good idea? She wished she could just vanish. She shouldn't have told Hermione. She didn't need to know, it didn't matter. Know she had ruined their friendship, she knew she had. And now that Hermione knew, what was to stop her from telling the entire school? How could Ginny face her classmates, teachers, her _family_, knowing that Hermione might have told them all... What if Hermione told her parents and they disowned her? What would she do? If only she could go back in time and unsay those words... And then another thought occurred to her. What if Hermione didn't believe her? Blaise hadn't believed Draco until Draco had...

Ginny glanced quickly up at Hermione's face.

"Oh..." The girl looked confused. "Um... okay then..." Hermione gave a slightly forced smile. "You know... I don't really like you... that way..."

Ginny felt intensely relieved – Hermione _didn't hate her –_ but at the same a little hurt. It wasn't like she had expected for Hermione to cry her undying love for Ginny and her response was better than Ginny had dared let herself hope for, but she couldn't help feeling rejected. Some of this must have shown on her face, because Hermione quickly continued, "I mean, I still _like_ you and all. Just not, you know, _that _way. I mean, you are a girl and I don't... I mean there's nothing wrong with it but... and I am dating Harry..." Hermione was blushing now.

Ginny took a deep breath and forced herself to smile. "It's okay. I just wanted you to know."

Hermione nodded, relieved. "Er... does anyone else know?"

Ginny shook her head. "No... Well, actually yes. Fleur sort of figured it out on her own, I guess, but other than that..."

Hermione seemed to have regained her composure and smiled. "Well, I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me. Thanks."

Ginny nodded, smiling back. "Uh... I'd better go finish my homework."

Hermione grinned and nodded. "Right."

And Ginny walked back downstairs feeling like a huge load had been lifted from her shoulders and for the first time in weeks, she found herself smiling. Life was good.

* * *

A/N: I know this chapter was a little short, but the next one will be longer.  



	6. Chapter 6

Hermione stared after Ginny. Ginny was lesbian? That was what had been eating the girl up for so long? That was _it_?

Admittedly, Ginny didn't exactly look very much like a dyke (and what exactly did Hermione think a dyke looked like, anyway?) but now that she thought about it, it explained a lot of things. Like why Ginny had been trying so hard to spend time with her. Hermione had been wondering why Ginny, who always got such good grades, suddenly found herself unable to perform the most elementary of spells without Hermione's help. And why she had been so distracted lately, which Hermione still didn't exactly understand. After all, it really wasn't that big of a deal.

_Well, except for the fact that she's in love with _me_. Now how am I supposed to deal with that?_

And it wasn't like Hermione could even ask for advice. She had no intention of outing Ginny to anyone else without Ginny's express permission and apparently, Ginny hadn't mentioned it to anyone else yet. Which meant that until she did, Hermione was pretty much on her own.

  


  
Other than Madam Pince, Hermione was alone in the library. As usual, she had bolted her lunch and rushed up here before anyone else finished eating. She liked being alone in the library. It was somehow quieter, without the sounds of other students turning pages or whispering and giggling to each other. The only noises came from Madam Pince and Hermione herself, which was just the way Hermione liked it.

She dumped her bag by her usual table near the window and took out her homework. She had almost finished her potions essay when she heard someone else enter the library. She didn't bother to look up, having already recognized the footsteps. Ginny, as usual. It was strange that she could recognize the other girl's footsteps so easily. Or maybe not. It had become such a routine for them to meet here after lunch.

Hermione stifled a brief smile at that, hiding her face behind the textbook she was reading. Suddenly she didn't want to look at Ginny. She hadn't seen Ginny other than from way down the table at breakfast and lunch since the girl had come out to her and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to act. She stared fixedly at her book.

A soft thud as Ginny dropped her bag on the carpeted floor, a muffled scrape as she pulled out a chair across from Hermione.

"Hi," Ginny said softly, nervously.

Finally, Hermione looked up at her, racking her brain for what to say. What do you say to someone who just told you they were lesbian? What do you say to someone who just told you they love you when you're completely uninterested?

"Hi," she responded, settling on the first thing that came into her unusually blank mind. She tried to smile as warmly as she could. "So, can I assume that you don't need me to help you with your homework anymore?"

Ginny blushed and nodded.

They worked in silence until more students began to flood into the library, marking the end of lunch. Then both girls packed up their bags and left. They walked in awkward silence up to the Gryffindor dormitory.

"Er... so... are you planning on... coming out to anyone else?" Hermione said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.

Ginny blushed. "I don't know... I don't know who I'd tell. You're my closest friend and I'm not sure I'm ready for my family to know yet..."

"You could tell Harry and Ron," Hermione suggested before she could stop herself.

Ginny glanced at Hermione. "Uh... Ron is my brother, in case you hadn't noticed, which means he's family, and since when does Harry care about who I date?"

Hermione shrugged. "They're my closest friends, other than you. And I don't like keeping secretes from them."

Ginny closed her eyes. "I'll think about it."

* * *

A/N: This wasn't as long as I'd intended, so I'll try to update again soon. Kashiaga: I'll do my best to keep updating...Silver-nex: Yay! A new reviewer! Glad you like the story thus far. Orange: And the chimney sweeps! And sesame street! And I'm updating today, happy? 


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione glanced out the window of her dormitory, smiling when she saw the Gryffindor quidditch team practicing. For all that she hated flying herself; Hermione had always thought Harry looked amazing in the air. Short black hair flying wildly about his face, red and gold robes billowing out behind him...

Her gaze slid to another player, one whose long, flaming red ponytail streamed out behind her. Hermione had to admit that Ginny looked as lovely in flight as Harry did – in a _completely_ different way.

She shook her head, tearing her gaze from the window and turned back to the letter she was writing to Victor.

Victor Krum had looked amazing when he was in the air, too. Unfortunately, Hermione had quickly discovered that while she still loved writing letters to him, it wasn't the same as actually having a boyfriend.

She wrote to him about her friends and her teachers and her schoolwork. She complained to him about tests and the other students and everything she didn't complain about to Ron or Harry of Ginny. Ever since the summer after her fourth year, she had written to him about her life and feelings in an attempt to bring him closer to her and even after they broke up, they still wrote to each other about everything. So now, she found it difficult not to write about Ginny. But she wouldn't. Not without Ginny's permission.

She wasn't used to dealing with things on her own anymore. She had gotten so used to having someone to talk to, to give her advice. From Victor to Madam Pince to Ron and Harry, there was always someone to listen, to give her advice, or just to sit and nod while she worked out her thoughts and feelings out loud. But she couldn't talk to anyone about Ginny, couldn't work out her feelings about the by talking, couldn't ask anyone how she was supposed to handle this...

And she wasn't even sure what 'this' was or why it seemed so important that she talk about Ginny with someone.

She sat back, leaning her head against her headboard and set about analyzing her feelings.

Why was she so desperate to talk to someone about Ginny?

Well, she supposed that part of it was that she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the girl now. Not that she had any problem with Ginny being lesbian or anything, she just wanted to... think about it. And part of it was that she felt like Ginny had trusted her with something – the knowledge that she was lesbian – and now Hermione wasn't sure what to do with that knowledge. She wanted to help Ginny, to make her as happy and healthy as possible. She wanted to do everything she could to assure Ginny that it was okay. She just didn't know how, didn't know what advice to give her, didn't know what to do.

And then there was the issue of Ginny being in love with _her_. Hermione didn't usually have people telling her they were in love with her at all. Yes, a few boys she wasn't remotely interested in had asked her out and she had politely but firmly turned them down. But somehow, this was different. Ginny was her friend, not some random boy she didn't really care about. And the fact that Ginny was lesbian seemed to make the situation all the more delicate. Not that Ginny seemed to expect Hermione to feel anything but friendship for her. It seemed that the best way to deal with the situation was to just act like nothing had changed. After all, it hadn't really. Ginny was still Ginny, Hermione was still Hermione, and they were still friends.

But Hermione didn't like keeping secrets. Not from _everyone_, anyway. She realized suddenly that there had never been anything she couldn't tell Ron or Harry or Victor.

But maybe Ginny would decide to come out to Harry and Ron soon and Hermione could ask if she could tell Victor.

  


  
  


Ginny was sitting in the common room talking to Harry and Ron about quidditch when Hermione came down. She joined them, seating herself next to Harry. She was suddenly nervous about how she was supposed to behave with Harry. She really didn't want to make Ginny uncomfortable...

Harry absently slid his arm around her waist and she glanced at Ginny. Ginny had tensed a little and was focusing her attention on Ron, carefully not looking at either Harry or Hermione. Hermione forced herself to relax and picked up a book. She felt safer, somehow, with a book in her hands, more confident, more like herself. She opened the book and pretended to read, absently listening to her friends' discussion. Eventually she got bored with endless debates of strategies and dissing the Slytherin team and got up to go down to the library.

She smiled at Madam Pince as she entered and Madam Pince smiled back warmly. Most students thought Madam Pince was a strict, evil woman who cared about nothing but her precious books, but that wasn't the person Hermione had come to know. Maybe it was that Hermione always returned her books on time and in good condition or never talked loudly or brought food into the library, or maybe it was just that Hermione spent so much time here, but for what ever reason it seemed that the old, pinched librarian had taken a liking her Hermione early on and had proven she could be a wonderful and helpful person when she wanted.

Hermione often came here to escape the tediousness of the other students and found herself recruited into reshelving books or other such tasks. And since there was no one else there, the two of them would end up talking. Hermione would tell Madam Pince about her tests and school assignments and ask for ideas for projects. And Madam Pince would recommend books she thought the young witch might like.

Hermione lifted a stack of newly returned books and set about putting them on the proper shelves.

_Magical Me_ by Gilderoy Lockhart was the top book. Hermione made a face, remembering her second year, and made her way over to the biographies.

"How has school been going?" Madam Pince asked.

"Not so bad. We had a pop quiz in potions today, but I think I did alright." Madam Pince nodded in approval.

_Dragons of the Far East_ by Alaster Cheng.

"And how are your friends?"

"They're fine. Right now they're talking about quidditch up in the common room."

Hermione had to summon over the ladder to put away _Wizards From Around the World _by Sinestra McDougall on the top shelf.

"And what about Ginny. She hasn't been here much lately. Is she all right?"

Hermione tensed at the sound of Ginny's name, but nodded. "She's fine. Just caught up with quidditch and stuff."

_Greasy Grimy Goblin Guts – A History of the Goblin Wars_ by Orluk the Weak (and probably the only goblin ever to learn to write) was next.

"And how is Victor doing?"

Hermione smiled. Ron and Harry never asked about him. They seemed to want to pretend he didn't exist. "He's fine. His team won a game last week."

"That's nice," Madam Pince murmured politely, not particularly interested in quidditch.

"And your family? How are they doing?"

"I got a letter from mum a few days ago. She and dad are doing fine. It snowed back home and my sister built a snow-Vulcan. Mum sent a picture and it looks uncannily like... one of the characters from the... story." Hermione had tried, once, to explain T.V. and muggle science fiction to Madam Pince, but the woman hadn't been able to wrap her mind around the concept of staring at a box and watching miniature people walking around and talking.

Her sister, Alice's, snow sculpture had looked amazingly like Spock. She had laughed when she saw the photograph, but it had reminded her how distant she was growing from her family. It had seemed too strange to look at a picture with people standing still, caught forever in the same pose. And trying to explain it to her friends had only reminded her how much of a muggle thing Star Trek was. Ron had just stared at it for a moment and then commented that the man had a weird expression.

Hermione glanced down at the next book: _100 Years of Magic: Wizarding Inventions of the 20th Century_. It wasn't one she had read yet. She set down the stack of books on a nearby table and flipped open the book, checking the copyright date. It was 1996, just last year. How could she have missed this?

She skimmed the first few pages. It looked interesting. Suppressing the temptation to set aside the books still needing to be shelved and start reading now, she put the book with her bag and returned to shelving the books.

By the time she was finished, it was almost time for dinner. When she got up to Gryffindor common room, everyone else had already left. She flung her books onto her bed and went down to the Great Hall.

Sitting between Harry and Parvati and across from Ron, Hermione was uncomfortably aware of Ginny's eyes on her. She glanced up to see Ginny watching her out of the corner of her eye. For a moment their gazes met, before Ginny flushed and looked away. But no one else seemed to have noticed.

Hermione returned her attention to Harry and Ron. Ron was in the middle of a rant about something Snape had done during potions. Harry was shaking his head and grinning.

"Well, we already knew he was a bastard, didn't we?"

Ron snorted. "And _then_ he told Draco to 'help' me and you could tell he didn't mean for Draco to be _helping_ much. Draco had a great time sticking things in my cauldron when I wasn't looking and then snickering when Snape took away house points 'cause my potion didn't come out right. And now I've got a bloody detention!"

"Bastard. I mean, that is so gay," Harry said, shaking his head.

Ron nodded. "_Snape_ is so gay. He's _evil_."

Hermione flinched when she heard that. That wasn't what 'gay' meant and there was absolutely nothing wrong with being gay. How could they insult Snape like that? Couldn't they see that they were hurting perfectly wonderful people with that insult more than they harmed Draco? She had never really thought about it before – her friends insulted people like that all the time. They didn't have anything against homosexuals; it was just an insult. But what must that feel like if you actually _were _gay and all your friends are saying things like 'Snape's so gay' all the time? She almost told Harry and Ron not to use 'gay' as an insult, but thought better of it. What if they thought she was doing it because _she_ was gay? How could she prove to them that she wasn't without outing Ginny?

So as much as she hated it, she kept her mouth shut. After all, it wasn't like they meant it _that_ way.

She glanced back at Ginny, who was watching her again, and began to wonder who else at Hogwarts was gay. She had never really thought about it, but she didn't actually know of anyone.

She remembered reading somewhere that about ten percent of all humans are gay. Wizards were presumably the same as muggles in that regard, which meant that, logically, Ginny couldn't be the _only_ lesbian attending Hogwarts. There were ten Gryffindors in Hermione's year and about the same in the other three houses, which meant that every year had about one homosexual per House. So with four homosexuals per year times seven years, that meant that there were about 28 gays at Hogwarts at any given time. Twelve teachers brought that up to 29 homosexuals at Hogwarts, which was more than she had any idea of.

Idly she began going through the students and faculty at Hogwarts, trying to figure out who might be gay. Not Harry, of course. Or Ron for that matter (one gay child was enough for any family, even one as large as the Weasleys). Lavender and Parvati both spent way too much time babbling about boys and fussing over their appearances. Seamus and Dean just seemed too _straight_ to be gay. And anyway, they talked about girls to much. Neville might be gay, though. He never seemed to have expressed much of an interest in girls...

Colin Creevey might be gay. Hermione suppressed a smile as she thought of a new reason for why he was always running after Harry with his camera. Draco was probably straight. Unless he had a crush on Harry and that was why he was always tormenting him. She almost choked at the image of him writing Harry's name in his diary with little hearts around it or making eyes at Harry when he thought the other boy wasn't looking. Or maybe it was Ron Draco was in love with...

For the rest of dinner Hermione amused herself with her internal speculation on her classmates' and teachers' sexualities.

* * *

A/N: Silver-nex: You can't steal Harry until Hermione's done with him. And I think it's going to be a while before he finds out about Ginny... she doesn't seem intent on telling people. Kashiaga: There will be pairings in this story (beyond Harry and Hermione, but that's not really what this fic's about) but I don't really want to tell you who Ginny'll end up with, so just keep reading. ; ) Steelsheen: Yeah, I'm so tired of it going 'I'm gay and I love you!' 'Really? I've been straight up until now, but now I'm suddenly gay and in love with you too!' 'Yay!!!' And right now I've already got most of this written and I'm just editing things before posting, which doesn't take as long as writing it... Orange: Here's my update... It's a little longer. Hope you like it.  



	8. Chapter 8

The next afternoon, Hermione found Ginny sitting outside under a tree. She was reading what looked to be a romance novel .

"Hey." Ginny looked up at Hermione's voice.

"Oh, hi." She closed the book, keeping her place with her finger.

"So... uh... what are you reading?" Hermione asked.

Ginny blushed. "Fleur gave it to me... for Christmas," she explained, muttering a disillusion charm at the book and handing it to Hermione. The cover shifted until it showed two girls in school robes, smiling at each other. Hermione didn't bother to read the title before handing it back to Ginny, who immediately restored the illusion she had on the cover.

"Er... how are you doing?"

Ginny shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

"Have you thought about, you know, coming out to anyone else?" Hermione asked, not bothering with subtlety.

Ginny looked away. "Well... not really."

"So you're not going to tell Harry or Ron?"

"No," Ginny snapped. "I'm not telling them, okay? I'm not telling anyone else just yet."

"Can I at least tell Victor?"

"_No_!" Hermione blinked in surprise at the girl's vehemence. "You're not telling _anyone_. Especially not some dip shit quidditch player I've barely even_ met_."

Hermione stared at Ginny in confusion. What was wrong with her telling Victor? What on Earth was Ginny afraid of?

Ginny took a deep breath, looking at Hermione pleadingly. "Please, don't tell anyone. Promise you won't say anything." Something about the vulnerable, desperate helplessness and fear in her voice and eyes made Hermione sigh and nod.

"I won't say anything."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Ginny relaxed and gave a slight smile. "Thanks."

"I still think you should tell someone else."

Ginny bit her lip. "No. Not yet."

"Why not?" Hermione asked in exasperation.

"Because... I can't. Do you have any idea how much it took for me to tell you? How scared I was?"

Hermione shook her head. "But now you've told me so it should be easier the next time, right?"

"You don't understand! You don't get it. But how could you? You don't know... It isn't that easy. I can't just waltz up to some random person and say 'hi, I'm gay. How are you?' It isn't that simple."

"Why not?"

Ginny leaned her head against the tree, closing her eyes. "It just isn't. And since it took me 15 years to come out the first time, if I tell anyone else by the time I'm 30, I'll be making progress."

Hermione stared at Ginny, appalled. "Then I hope you don't plan on dating until you're 30," she spat in disgust and walked away.

If she had looked back, she would have seen Ginny staring after her, tears rolling down her face.

  


  
  
After that, there was a tension between Hermione and Ginny. Hermione didn't bring up the subject again, but she still didn't understand why it was such a big deal for Ginny.

But as she neared the end of her sixth year and with it countless end of year projects and tests, Hermione became too caught up in schoolwork to dwell on Ginny.

The end of school arrived before Hermione knew it and she found herself reluctant to go home. She loved school, loved having a regular schedule and classes and deadlines and homework. She liked living with her friends, as tedious as they might get at times. Back home, all that was gone. Back home there was no magic and no friends or classes or teachers. But most of all, back home were her parents, her family, and more than anything she didn't want to be reminded of how distant she had grown from them.

She boarded the Hogwarts Express behind her friends with a smile. They found an empty compartment and Hermione took a seat by the window. Harry sat next to her. It was a warm day and the landscape rushing by outside was beautiful, full of life. She wished she felt as joyous.

"You look tense," Harry said softly, glancing at her with concern. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," Hermione replied with a forced smile. "I'm just worried because Voldemort hasn't done anything yet this year."

The three of them had spent the last few weeks of school anticipating some sort of attack from him and were somewhat worried by the fact that they had hardly heard of him for the entire year, so it wasn't exactly a lie.

Harry sighed, squeezing her hand. "It'll be alright."

She nodded. "I know. I'm just nervous, that's all."

"Are you sure that's all?" Ron asked. "I mean, you haven't been spending much time with Ginny lately. Did you have a fight or something?"

Hermione looked away. "No. We've just both been busy lately... She had to study for her OWLs, you know."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but just then the teacart came and the boys stuffed their mouths with sweets.

Hermione took out a book and immersed herself in its pages for the rest of the journey.

At platform 9 ¾, Hermione said good-bye to Harry and Ron, promising to write and walked over to her parents.

* * *

A/N: Silver-nex: But if that happens, niether of them would be gay... Doesn't that sort of defeat the point of the whole story? Anasazi: Thanks. Draco's a pretty freaky guy... Kashiaga: Hehe... just wait till she finds out Draco actually is gay. And you'll know who Ginny'll end up with in another two or three chapters (hopefully)... No, it's not going to be Hermione. Sorry guys. Originally it was supposed to be Hr/G, but then I decided it would be more interesting to keep Hermione straight.  



	9. Chapter 9

Hermione dropped her bags on the floor of the room she shared with her sister. It was, as always, a mess. The only things that weren't covered with her sister's books and clothes and papers were Hermione's bed, dresser, and desk.

She carefully picked her way over the clutter. Her parents had told her that Alice was visiting a friend and would be home after dinner. Hermione wanted to unpack before her sister arrived home.

She glanced at the computer on her sister's desk. It felt strange to see a computer after so long at Hogwarts. Computers seemed so bulky and primitive compared to the elegance of wands.

She had just finished unpacking her things when her mother called her down for dinner. She walked down the stairs. It felt strange, not to have them moving around. She took her place at the table and waited as her mother brought in the food. Pizza... it used to be her favorite food. And her mother was even letting her have orange soda with dinner. They said "grace" (literally... her family had never been that religious) and dug in. But the pizza tasted strange to Hermione, nothing at all like the food served at Hogwarts. And the soda was too sweet, nothing like the pumpkin juice she had grown to like at Hogwarts. Even the ice cream they had for dessert tasted weird.

As they ate, her parents asked her about school, curious about her friends and classes and teachers. But there seemed to be so much she couldn't tell them, so much they wouldn't understand. Like how worried they were because of Voldemort's silence this year. She hadn't even mentioned him to her parents, not wanting them to worry about her. But the more she kept from them, the more of her life she tried to just leave at school, the more distant she seemed to become from them and the more it hurt to come home and talk to them.

  


  
  
Hermione had been home for almost three days before receiving her first letter from Harry.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Hey, love. How are you doing? I know it's only been a few days, but it feels like forever. The Dursleys are as terrible as ever, but that's not really surprising._

_I really wish I could see you, but somehow I don't think the Dursleys would allow it. They've forbidden me from leaving the house alone. I think they're afraid I might do some magic or something in public if they're not around._

_I miss you._

Love,   
Harry

Hermione smiled, reading the letter over and over. It was short, but the sight of Harry's familiar handwriting was enough to brighten her day. Finally Hermione put down the letter, finding a piece of paper and a quill, and set about writing her reply. It took her hours before she was happy with it, though it wasn't much longer than Harry's letter. When she was finally satisfied, she tied it to Hedwig and sent the owl back to Harry.

Then she picked up his letter again and spent the next few hours rereading it and daydreaming about Harry.

It was the middle of August when the Weasleys finally got around to freeing Harry from the Dursleys. Hermione didn't hear about it until she got a letter from Harry saying it had been successful and he was now at the Weasleys' house and would she like to come and stay with them for the rest of the summer. Oh, and Bill was engaged to Fleur and the Delacours were visiting the Weasleys' too. Hermione immediately wrote back saying that yes, she'd love to come.

Two days later, she arrived at the Weasleys' house. Harry and Mr. Weasley had come to pick her up, but the rest of the Weasleys and the Delecours had gone out for lunch.

Hermione dropped her stuff as usual in Ginny's room, noticing as she did so that there was another mattress on the floor. Apparently one of the Delacours was sleeping in Ginny's room too.

Hermione went back downstairs to the kitchen. Harry was sitting at the table, glancing over the _Daily Prophet_.

"Anything interesting?"

Harry looked up at the question. "Not really."

Hermione sat down next to him. "Have you finished your summer homework yet?"

Harry shook his head, grinning at her. "Come on, I still have two weeks."

"You haven't even started yet, have you?"

Harry shook his head. "Are you gonna nag me?"

Hermione sighed. "No."

"So how've you been?"

Hermione giggled. She had written him about every single little detail of her vacation – from getting a hangnail to almost being hit by a car when she was going to the beach – and he had to ask her how she'd been. "Fine. I missed you, though."

Harry smiled, hesitantly taking her hand. "Me too."

Hermione leaned forwards and kissed him. Then she got up. "I'm going to go work on my extra credit project."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Will you give it a break, Hermione? It's _summer_. As in _vacation_. As in you don't have to do any work."

Hermione just shrugged. "You have a better suggestion?"

"How about this?" he asked and kissed her.

"I have homework to do," she protested. He just kissed her again.

"It's not homework, it's extra credit. And you'll have plenty of time to do it later." Another kiss. "Anyway, I haven't seen you all summer."

"Mmm…" Hermione kissed him again, the pulled away. "Have you heard anything about Voldemort or anything?"

Harry shook his head. "Just the usual acts of terror and destruction… nothing to give a clue as to what he's planning or where he is."

She nodded. "So… what's Fleur's family like?"

Harry gave her a quizzical look at the abrupt change in subject. "They're fine, I guess."

Just then, there came a noise from the fireplace. The two young wizards spun around to see a surge of green smoke erupting from it, and out stumbled Ron. Ron was soon followed by the rest of his family as well as the Delacours.

"Ah, Hermione. You're here!" Mrs. Weasley cried when she spotted the young witch. Hermione embraced the plump, redheaded witch. "How have you been? You look wonderful!"

Hermione smiled at Mrs. Weasley's enthusiastic greeting. "I've been wonderful."

"Hey Hermione," Ron greeted her, and she smiled at him. Then Fred, George, Charlie, and Bill all greeted her with smiles and hugs. Ginny stood back nervously, as if uncertain of how Herminoe would respond to her. But then Hermione was introduced to the Delacours and she forgot entirely about Ginny.

Fleur's family consisted of her mother Ms Delecour, her father Mr. Delecour, and her sister Gabrielle. Once she had been introduced to everyone, Mrs. Weasley set about preparing dinner and Hermione went off with Harry and Ron to catch up on what had happened over the summer.

  


  
  
When Hermione went up to bed, Ginny and Gabrielle were already in their nightgowns. They were sitting on Ginny's bed, talking and giggling about something. They looked up when Hermione entered the room.

"Hey," Ginny greeted her nervously.

Hermione smiled at her, wondering how the sweet, girlish redhead on the bed could possibly be lesbian. She was just so… normal, so _feminine_. The word 'lesbian' just didn't fit with the giggling teenager in front of her. Hermione could see her dating a girl, sort of, but _lesbian_ just didn't seem to fit.

Sighing, Hermione got out her own nightgown. Ginny looked away, focusing her attention on Gabrielle as Hermione turned her back to get changed. For some reason the she suddenly felt shy of changing in front of Ginny – it wasn't like Ginny hadn't seen her naked before, or like she hadn't been lesbian before, but somehow _knowing_ it made Hermoine uncomfortable. When she turned back, Ginny was still talking with Gabrielle.

Hermione lay down on her mattress, ignoring Ginny and Gabrielle's chattering with six years of practice from sharing her room with Lavender and Parvati, she quickly fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: Anasazi: One more chapter, I think... Silver-nex: Thanks for reading. I'll probably slow down eventually, tho... And when this fic finishes, you'll just have to read some of my other stuff. :D Crossgirl123: I'm glad you think I'm doing such a good job with the whole coming out thing... That's one of the things that usually seems to be missing from slash, and I wanted this fic to be different. And I don't really like Harry/Hermione either. Mostly that's just another reason that Ginny can't have Hermione. I'm glad you like this fic. Mizz-viefje, Kashiaga and Orange: Thanks. I'll try to keep updating at least every other day from now on, but I'm working on 4 stories right now, all of which I'm updating regularly, so I might slow down a bit...  



	10. Chapter 10

Gabrielle pulled the light sheet over her body as Ginny turned out the light.

"Good-night," Gabrielle whispered.

"Night," Ginny whispered back, smiling.

Gabrielle watched from her mattress on the floor as Ginny settled down to sleep. Judging by her breathing, the other girl – Hermione, was it? – was already asleep. Gabrielle glanced at her briefly, wondering what Ginny saw in her.

Ginny had told Gabrielle about her crush on Hermione. Why? Gabrielle didn't really know, but Ginny seemed to trust her. Maybe she was just reacting to Gabrielle's veela blood, the effect enhanced by Gabrielle's own attraction to the redheaded witch. Maybe it was just that Ginny thought Gabrielle might understand her.

When Gabrielle had mentioned breaking up with her girlfriend, Marie, Ginny had gotten very quiet and Gabrielle had been afraid that she'd ruined things between them permanently. Dating girls had never really been a big deal for Gabrielle, but she was a veela and veela tended to be somewhat less discriminant about gender than humans. So it hadn't been very hard for her to accept her attraction to other girls. And her family had always supported her.

So she hadn't really thought about Ginny's reaction before mentioning it, though she had regretted it instantly. Why couldn't she learn to think before she spoke? But then Ginny had softly told her, "Then, I guess you wouldn't mind that I'm lesbian."

After that, Ginny had seemed to relax around Gabrielle. She had told Gabrielle about her crush on Hermione, talking about her almost non-stop when they were alone. Now that she'd seen her, Gabrielle had to admit that she wasn't sure what Ginny saw in Hermione. But then, she'd only just met her.

Ginny had also mentioned that Fleur already knew she was lesbian. Apparently, she had figured it out on her own – not that that surprised Gabrielle. Fleur had always been perceptive, and she had this thing about gay pride.

When Marie's parents had refused to let their daughter see Gabrielle after learning that they were dating each other, Fleur had them that the range of human sexuality was a sign of their advancement as a species. She had informed them that the very fact that humans were aware enough of themselves and their desires to _have_ homosexual relationships meant that they were far more advanced than other creatures. And that the fact veela were more likely to have homosexual relationships than humans wasn't a sign that they were evil or perverted, but that they were a more advanced, civilized species than humans.

It hadn't changed Marie's parent's opinion of Gabrielle or stopped Marie from dumping her, but she had never loved her sister more than when she had seen the girl sticking up for her to them.

Fleur was a wonderful sister, and she had never once let Gabrielle be ashamed of her sexuality. When Gabrielle had come to her in tears after several of the other students at school had called her a dyke and a pervert, saying she was more disgusting than a mudblood, Fleur had comforted her and then made her promise never to let them make her hate herself again. And Gabrielle had kept her promise. She had forced herself to be proud of herself – just like Fleur always was – until it became a habit.

And now Fleur was getting married to Bill Weasley. Gabrielle had liked Bill ever since she first met him when he came to visit after Fleur graduated from Beauxbatons, though her parents had been somewhat less than thrilled with him. She supposed the long hair, the earring, the dragon hide boots, and so on had repelled them at least as much as they had attracted both Fleur and Gabrielle, and his family's financial state certainly hadn't improved their opinion of him. But by the time he left, he had completely won them over and now they fully supported the marriage.

Gabrielle sighed, closing her eyes, and eventually she fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: Kashiaga: Thanks. Terresa Greenhill: Thanks... I'm amazed that you like my writing that much. I'll try to remember to use "the girl" and other such references less... thanks for pointing that out. Thanks for your inspiring reviews! Anasazi: Yeah... that was kind of what I was thinking about Hermione... Harry practically lives with the Weasleys but we've barely even met the Grangers. Orange: Of course you get to... Silver-nex: Oh well, I'm glad you like the story anyways.  
It seems that at least a few of you have figured out who I've decided to pair Ginny with ;) ...now to figure out how to actually get them together...  



	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, Gabrielle woke up to find that Ginny and Hermione had already left. Getting out bed, she found a tank top and skirt. She quickly brushed her hair and plaited it into a single braid. She pulled a light, sleeveless robe on over her clothes and slipped her feet into some sandals.

When she came downstairs, Ginny and Hermione were already eating breakfast. They fell silent as soon as Gabrielle entered the kitchen, but she thought they had probably been fighting about something. Now they were carefully not looking at each other.

Gabrielle got herself some cereal and sat down between them, feeling awkward. They ate breakfast in an uneasy, tense silence. When they had finished, Gabrielle looked between the two girls.

"So… what are we going to do today?" she asked awkwardly.

Both girls looked at her, then got up and left the table – Hermione going upstairs and Ginny going outside.

After a moment of hesitation, Gabrielle followed Ginny outside. She caught up to her near the clearing where they played quidditch.

"What?" Ginny snapped, still walking towards the clearing.

"What's with you and Hermione?" Gabrielle asked her, managing to keep up with the other girl's longer stride.

After a moment, Ginny sighed. "She's still nagging me about coming out to my family."

"Well, why don't you?"

Ginny looked at her helplessly. "Not you too…"

Gabrielle shrugged. "Just asking."

"I just… I don't want to deal with it right now. What if… what if they flip out? What if they don't believe me? What if…" she closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I just don't feel ready, okay?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "Alright. But have a little faith in your family. They've lived with you your whole life. They'll deal with it."

Ginny shook her head. "I… can't."

"Well, when you're ready. You don't have to tell them if you don't want to."

Ginny smiled. "I _will_ tell them… eventually."

Gabrielle nodded. "Okay. You want to go back, at least to put on some of that cream your mom made to keep us from getting sunburned."

Ginny nodded. "Do veela get sunburned?"

Gabrielle shook her head. "But part veela do. And even a part veela is hard put to look beautiful when her skin is burned red and peeling off."

"What? You mean you don't tan?" Ginny asked her, laughing.

"I don't, anyways."

"Then we'd better hurry. We wouldn't want to ruin your perfect complexion, now would we?"

Gabrielle just stuck her tongue out at Ginny. They raced each other back to the house, laughing as they ran.

Hermione was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a book while Ron and Harry ate breakfast.

"Hey," Harry greeted them as they came in.

"Good morning," Gabrielle responded. Ginny didn't say anything. She was watching Hermione with a cold gaze.

"Hi," the mousy hair witch greeted them shortly.

Harry looked between the two girls in confusion as Hermione stood up and stalked out of the kitchen.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked around a mouthful of toast.

"Nothing," Ginny snapped. She found a jar of the sun-cream, opening it.

By the time they'd finished spreading it over their skin, Harry and Ron were finished eating and had begun putting it on themselves.

"I'm going to go talk to Hermione. Then I'll be right out," Gabrielle told Ginny.

Ginny nodded and Gabrielle ran upstairs. Hermione was in Ginny's room, sitting on her mattress.

"You want to go outside with the rest of us?" Gabrielle asked her.

Hermione sighed. "All right. I'll be right down."

Gabrielle nodded and left to go join Ginny outside.

  
  


The next day the Weasleys, the Delacours, Harry, and Hermione all went to the beach. Fred and George spent the entire time trying to get people to buy their candies. After one of them – Gabrielle honestly couldn't tell them apart – managed to get someone to take a free sample of their fish-taffies and subsequently sprouted gills, they had had more customers than they could handle. When the customers discovered that there were actually several types of taffies, each giving you a different characteristic of some form of sea-life. The children at the beach had soon formed a game of it – trying to guess what each toffee did before eating it or trying to see what combinations they could come up with before the spell wore off and they reverted to human form.

Gabrielle watched, giggling, as a child with scales, webbed hands, and several octopus tentacles sprouting from his sides ran by chasing a little girl with gills and a shark's head into the water. Ginny walked over to her, handing her a toffee.

"A gift from Fred," she explained, giggling. "He says it's a special one and that you should eat it in the water. He gave me one too. Mum said that she'd kill him if it did anything terrible, and he didn't get all sweet and innocent, so I think they're safe."

Gabrielle glanced over at the twins and one of them winked at her. Gabrielle giggled again and raced Ginny into the water.

When they were in up to their waists, they stopped and taking a deep breath, Gabrielle popped the toffee into her mouth. She made a face when she tasted it – she didn't like fish very much, and fish mixed with caramel and molasses was absolutely repulsive. She swallowed it quickly and stood, waiting for something to happen.

For a moment, she felt nothing, but then she experienced a strange, shifty feeling in her legs and neck as her body reformed itself. Her legs gave way beneath her and she fell face-first into the water. Salty water rushed up her nose and into her open mouth. She tried to come up, only to find that her feet and legs seemed to have vanished. For a moment, she struggled, splashing and choking as she tried to find her footing. But then she felt arms around her waist, pulling her up.

Ginny held her with her head above the water while she coughed the water out of her lungs and wiped her eyes. When she had caught her breath, she looked down and gasped in amazement when she saw that her legs were indeed gone – they had been transformed into a tail.

Ginny giggled. "You're a lovely mermaid."

Gabrielle looked up at Ginny. "Thank you."

Ginny dropped her into the water, but this time when Gabrielle opened her mouth, she found that she could breathe under the water, though the salty water still tasted bad and still stung her eyes. When she lifted her hands to her neck, she felt gills.

After a few minutes of swimming around Ginny's legs, Gabrielle had adjusted to having a tail instead of legs and surfaced again.

Ginny was laughing. "So, what's it like to be a mermaid? Off to go seduce sailors to their dooms?"

"Actually, I was thinking of seducing some pretty young girls," she replied, eyes sparkling. "Care to join me?"

Ginny laughed and ate the toffee. "Ugh… these really taste terrible, don't they?"

Gabrielle nodded, laughing at Ginny's expression. She watched in fascination as the girl's legs shifted in color and shape until they solidified in the form of a tail and Ginny fell into the water. But unlike Gabrielle, she was prepared and a few seconds later she was swimming in circles around her friend. She opened her mouth, but all that emerged was a stream of bubbles. So instead she beckoned at Gabrielle to follow her deeper into the ocean.

It was a truly incredible experience to be able to swim through the water without fear of having to come up for breath, though she was a little nervous about how long the taffies would take to wear off. After a few minutes, she was used to the taste of the water and having it in her eyes.

They swam out deeper, gliding like eels through the water. Gabrielle followed Ginny, wondering what it would be like to kiss someone as a mermaid – gliding through the water, tails twined together, moving through their own, private world…

She sped up, catching Ginny around the waist. Suddenly it didn't matter to her, what Ginny's reaction was, and it occurred to her that if Ginny really reacted badly, she could claim it was a side effect of the toffee. For all she knew, maybe it actually was – she wouldn't put if past the twins. And if she didn't try, she'd never know.

Ginny spun around to face Gabrielle, her face surprised but not hostile. For a moment, their gazes met and suddenly Gabrielle was sure that this was right. She leaned forwards slightly, slowly so that Ginny could pull away if she wanted. But instead, Ginny leaned forwards to meet her lips, slipping her arms around Gabrielle's waist.

The kiss was wonderful, more wonderful than Gabrielle could have imagined. Even her short time with Marie had been nothing compared to this. Their bodies melded together perfectly, tails twining together, arms holding each other close, mouths joined as they continued to drift through the water, sinking slowly downwards.

Gabrielle wished this moment could last forever, but of course it couldn't. Even as mermaids, they had to breathe. Gabrielle pulled away from Ginny's lips, just far enough to breathe as she gazed into Ginny's smiling eyes.

Ginny let her go, swimming upwards towards the surface and Gabrielle followed her, feeling as though the elation bubbling through her veins would raise her to the surface all on its own.

When her head broke the surface, the first thing she noticed was the cold shock of air in her lungs. Then she noticed that her tail was becoming two legs again and that her gills were vanishing, as were Ginny's. She started treading water, looking towards the shore.

They had gone farther out than she had thought – their families were mere blobs on the distant sand of the beach. She turned back to Ginny.

"Come one, let's go in before we drown," Ginny said breathlessly.

Gabrielle just nodded and the two of them began swimming for the shore.

* * *

A/N: Terresa Greenhill: Well, if you're going to take the time to rewiev, I might as well take the time to reply. :) And how am I supposed to get better if I don't accept constructive critism? Thanks for reviewing. Tora88: Thanks... I'm trying to make the characters realistic and I'm glad you think I've succeeded. Anasazi: Well, I'm the oldest sibling, but I really love my sister and I see Fleur as being a pretty good older sister, whatever her other short comings. I'm glad you liked it. Kashiaga and Orange: Thanks  



	12. Chapter 12

By the time Ginny and Gabrielle reached the shore, the sun was nearly setting and Mrs. Weasley had begun preparing dinner. She was making shish kabobs with chicken, onions, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini.

"See, I told you we wouldn't kill them, mum," one of the twins said to Mrs. Weasley as Gabrielle and Ginny waded out of the water.

"Yeah, have a little faith in us." Mrs. Weasley gave the twins an unimpressed glance before going back to preparing dinner.

Gabrielle found her towel, wrapping it around her shoulders as she sat down on the sand. Ginny joined her. For a moment they sat together in an awkward silence. Then Gabrielle hesitantly slipped an arm around Ginny's still-damp waist. Ginny smiled and rested her head against Gabrielle's shoulder.

By this time, most of the other people at the beach had gone home. Hermione was sitting on her towel next to Harry, reading a book while Ron talked with Harry about something – Quidditch, probably. Mr. Weasley was talking with Gabrielle's parents, probably interrogating her mother about veela again. According to Ginny, he had a similar fascination with just about anything 'different' from him, though he was especially interested in muggles. Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Fred, and George were all talking together about something. Fleur glanced over at her little sister and, presumably noticing Ginny, grinned and shifted a little closer to Bill. His eyes briefly flicked over to where Ginny and Gabrielle were sitting and he smiled too.

A few minutes later, dinner was ready and they all sat on their towels, eating shish kabobs and drinking butterbeer. The food was good; Mrs. Weasley was a good cook – better than the house elves that did the cooking at their house back in France.

After dinner they packed up and took a port key home. Ginny and Gabrielle went up to bed immediately, though everyone else stayed downstairs to talk. Gabrielle was desperate to be alone with Ginny so they could talk without fear of being overheard and was just as glad that Hermione stayed downstairs with everyone else.

Once in Ginny's room, they got changed in an awkward silence. Gabrielle was half afraid that the only reason Ginny had accepted her kiss was Gabrielle's veela blood. Gods, she hated that. Hated never knowing if someone's positive reaction to her was just because she was part veela or a genuine response to her. Not to mention that unintentionally outing people because of their reaction to her (or lack thereof) was hardly the best feeling in the world. When practically every boy in the school was going all gooey-eyed over her, it was pretty easy to tell why those few who weren't were immune to her. But they, at least, could disguise their lack of interest in her. The girls who took one look at her and went as crazy as most of the boys had no way of easily hiding it. Marie certainly hadn't been able to.

Gabrielle glanced at Ginny again and the girl smiled at her, sitting down on her bed.

"I think your sister noticed us," she said softly.

Gabrielle nodded. "And your brother. So, are you going to… err… tell anyone? Like your parents?"

Ginny looked away. "Not yet."

Gabrielle sat down next to her and Ginny slipped her arms around her waist. "You know you'll have to eventually."

Ginny nodded. "I will. I just… don't want to. Not yet."

"Well, with luck neither Fleur nor Bill will mention anything."

"You know, if Bill and Fleur figure it out on their own, maybe everyone else will, too."

Gabrielle sighed. "I wouldn't count on it. You'll have to talk to them about it eventually. And if, say, your mother walked in here right now and asked you, 'Are you lesbian?' do you think you'd really be able to say yes? Do you think that would be any easier than you walking downstairs and telling her?"

"I guess not," Ginny admitted. "Can we please not talk about this now?"

"Okay."

Ginny smiled and kissed her cheek. Gabrielle got up and slipped into her own bed. "Good-night."

Ginny lay down, closing her eyes. "Night."

  


Gabrielle and Ginny woke up early the next morning and decided to go flying before having breakfast. The morning air was warm, though not as hot as it would be, and slightly muggy. It smelled of flowers and trees and earth. The two girls took off into the still, warm air. They soared over the Burrow as sunlight streamed down on them.

Gabrielle flew ever so slightly behind Ginny, letting the other girl take the lead. Her two fiery red braids flew out behind her, whipping about her face in the wind.

She led them to the clearing where she and her brothers played Quidditch. They landed, laughing breathlessly and tossing their broomsticks aside. Ginny pulled Gabrielle into the shade of the trees, giggling.

Her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were flushed with exertion. This close, Gabrielle could see the unprofessional smudges of purple eyeshadow staining her eyelids, the overly shiny gleam of her lips from her lip-gloss, the pale freckles that spotted her face. Somehow, Ginny seemed all the more beautiful for the imperfections, the messily applied makeup – they made her seem younger, more innocent, charming. Gabrielle leaned forwards, lightly touching her lips to Ginny's mouth.

Ginny's lips parted hesitantly and Gabrielle slid her tongue inside, reveling in the sweet, soft warmth of the other girl's mouth. Ginny hesitantly moved her hands to Gabrielle's hips, her fingers running lightly along the curve of her waist. Gabrielle lifted her hands to Ginny's cheeks, caressing her face as their mouths joined.

After a moment that seemed to last a lifetime, Ginny drew back a little, catching her breath.

"You're beautiful," Gabrielle whispered softly.

Ginny giggled. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are. You're lovely."

Ginny shook her head. "No I'm not. I'm too skinny, too short, my hair's always a mess, my breasts are almost nonexistent, I have so many freckles I look like a lizard…"

Gabrielle grinned. "I think your freckles are beautiful – like stars in the night sky."

Ginny giggled. "You're nuts."

"And you have lovely breasts. Having big breasts is annoying – you should be glad yours are so small. You can eat anything you like and you don't gain a pound, you aren't too short, and I think your hair looks lovely."

Ginny shook her head. "What would you know? You're part veela – you're the very definition of beautiful."

"I'm some straight boy's dream girl. That's different. You're genuinely beautiful, and it has nothing to do with magic."

Ginny smiled and kissed her again. "We'd better get back before my parents get worried."

Gabrielle nodded and they found their broomsticks and returned to the Burrow.

  


  
  
After dinner that evening, Fleur came into Ginny's room. Ginny was taking a shower and Hermione was still downstairs with Harry. Gabrielle was already ready for bed. She looked up from brushing her hair as Fleur entered the room.

"Hey Gabby," Fleur greeted her in French. She knelt down behind Gabrielle, taking the brush from her sister's hands and began carefully brushing Gabrielle's hair herself. When they were little, Fleur had always brushed Gabrielle's hair before they went to bed because their mother was usually too busy to even kiss them goodnight. Now she only brushed Gabrielle's hair when she wanted to talk to her about something personal. "You seem to have gotten… close to Ginny," Fleur said softly.

Gabrielle nodded slightly. "Yeah. She's nice. And smart, and pretty… and lesbian."

Fleur laughed. "That does help, doesn't it?"

Gabrielle giggled. "Yeah."

"Her parents don't seem to know."

"No… she says she doesn't want to tell them yet."

"She'll have to eventually."

"She knows that. But she doesn't feel ready yet. And could you please not mention it to them? Or anyone else?"

Fleur sighed. "Alright. But you know, it isn't fair for _you _to have to keep your relationship a secret from everyone."

"I don't mind. And it's her choice – when to tell people."

"I don't think her parents will react that badly."

"Neither do I. Neither does she, really. But you never know, and even if they're positively ecstatic about it – which I doubt – it's still hard."

Fleur set down the brush and began braiding Gabrielle's hair. "So, how do you like England?"

Gabrielle smiled. "It's okay. France is better, of course, but it's nice. I can't wait for Ginny to see France, though. She'll love it."

Fleur laughed. "Of course she will." She finished braiding Gabrielle's hair and got up. "Good-night, Gabby."

"Good-night." Fleur gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left.

A few moments later, Ginny came in wearing her bathrobe. Her hair was still damp from her shower and she smelled like shampoo.

"What did your sister want?"

"To talk. About you." Gabrielle paused, looking at Ginny. "She said she won't tell anyone about us."

Ginny smiled. "Do you know how lucky you are to have a sister?" she asked as she changed into her nightgown. "All I have is six brothers."

"Six?" Gabrielle blinked in confusion. "I only count five. Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, and Ron. That's five, unless the English numbering system works radically differently from the French one."

Ginny found her comb, sat down next to Gabrielle, and set about untangling her hair. "There's another one – Percy. But he sort of sided against us when Harry said You-Know-Who was back and the Ministry said he wasn't. And we sort of haven't really talked to him since."

"Oh."

"But I still don't have a sister. I mean, I love my brothers – I really do. But I can't, you know, talk to them. Like I could talk to a sister. The only other girl in the family is Mum and she's usually pretty busy."

"My parents are always busy."

"But you have a sister."

Gabrielle shrugged. "Yeah, and she's annoying as hell, most of the time. She's always so _perfect_. Perfect grades, perfect skin, perfect _everything_. It's annoying."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "And you don't have perfect skin?"

Gabrielle made a face. "I think she inherited more veela blood than I did."

"I think you inherited just plenty," Ginny informed her, bringing her hand up to Gabrielle's cheek and softly kissing her lips.

Gabrielle grinned. "I'm glad someone thinks so. You know, Hermione's going to be in here any minute now."

"I don't think I really care." Gabrielle raised her eyebrows at that. "I mean, she already knows I'm lesbian. What does it matter if she knows about us?"

"You might want to tell her, though. I mean, I know she's okay with you being lesbian, but she might react badly to seeing us together."

Ginny sighed. "I don't see why. I mean, I don't have fits or anything when I see straight couples together. And they don't seem particularly interested in what I think of their relationship." But she got up anyway, climbing into bed and quickly falling asleep.

* * *

A/N: Wow... I think I'm almost done with this fic... well, sort of. It might take me a while to wrap things up, but I'm definately getting there. :D  
Gamesprite Badger: Thanks... I'm glad you like the characters. Anasazi: Don't worry, Hermione will make up with Ginny eventaully... probably in the next few chapters... Silver-nex, Orange and Kashiaga: Thanks.  



	13. Chapter 13

Two days later, Ginny and Gabrielle were sitting on the bed in Ginny's room, finishing their summer homework. Ginny had just begun reading _Practical Uses of Transfiguration_ by Sinestra McDougall.

"A 'brief' introduction? She thinks 20 pages is _brief_?" Ginny muttered in disgust.

Gabrielle laughed. "Everything's relative. By comparison to a 50 page introduction, 20 pages is brief."

"But she isn't even saying anything interesting," Ginny complained. "I mean, she spends the first page asking things like 'Have you ever wondered why you have to learn transfiguration in school?' and she repeats herself constantly."

"So skim it."

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, that would probably speed things up."

Gabrielle put down her quill, stretching. "I think I'm done for now."

"You've barely even started."

"So?"

Ginny closed her book, yawning. "Okay, let's take a break."

Gabrielle shifted closer to Ginny, slipping her arm around Ginny's waist. Ginny found her mouth, kissing her gently.

Neither of them noticed the door open until Mrs. Weasley said in a horrified voice, "What on Earth do you think you're doing?"

Then the two girls sprang apart, looking up in horror to Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway, holding a laundry basket in her arms. Gabrielle could feel her cheeks flaming. Ginny looked like she was about to pass out from embarrassment and shock. No, this was most definitely not the way Ginny would have wanted to come out to her.

After a moment of stunned silence, Gabrielle swallowed and told her as calmly as she could, "We were kissing."

"But Ginny isn't lesbian." It was a statement, calm and certain. No room for doubt or question.

Gabrielle looked at Ginny, wondering if she would be able to correct her mother. Ginny looked utterly terrified and Gabrielle reached out to touch her hand, thinking, _Just tell her. The sooner you tell her, the sooner she can deal with it._

"Yes, I am," Ginny said softly, staring intently at her hands.

"What?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "I said I'm lesbian," she repeated, still unable to meet her mother's horrified gaze.

Mrs. Weasley stared at her for a moment until the meaning of her daughter's words sunk in. "No," she said, shaking her head. "No you're not. You can't be."

"I am." Ginny seemed close to tears.

"No. Oh god, no." She turned to Gabrielle. "What have you done to my daughter?"

Gabrielle stared at her. _What have **I** done?_

"I should have known better than to let my daughter spend so much time with a part-veela."

Gabrielle closed her eyes. Dear god, not again. Why did everyone assume that if their daughter was dating her, she must have recruited them or something? "She was lesbian long before she met me," Gabrielle informed her gently.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "No."

"Yes." Ginny's voice wavered with the tears she was just barely holding in check and Gabrielle wished with all her heart that she could hold Ginny in her arms without further incriminating herself in Mrs. Weasley's eyes.

Just then, Hermione and Harry appeared behind Mrs. Weasley. Hermione looked around. "What's going on?"

Mrs. Weasley just looked at her, denial and shame warring in her eyes and Ginny flushed again.

"Ginny just came out to Mrs. Weasley," Gabrielle told them, trying to sound as casual about it as she could.

Harry looked confused. "You mean… Ginny's… Ginny's…_lesbian_?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah."

Harry stared at Ginny, then shook his head. "You've got to be kidding me. Ginny?"

Gabrielle glared at him. _You aren't helping, _she thought at him angrily.

"It's true," Ginny sobbed, as if she were confessing being in love with You-Know-Who.

Mrs. Weasley now turned to Harry and Hermione. "It's just a phase," she informed them.

Gabrielle wondered what would happen if she socked the woman. Her daughter was in _tears_ and all she could do was tell Harry and Hermione that it was 'just a phase.'

Mrs. Weasley set the laundry basket down on the floor. "Now put away your clothes." And with that, she left the room.

Now Harry looked at Ginny. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Hermione snapped at him. "She's completely serious."

"Lesbian… like she dates girls?"

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "I don't know what other definition for 'lesbian' you have."

"Okay, that's kind of wrong."

"Harry!"

"What?"

Hermione shook her head in disgust. "You bigot." She spun around and stalked back out of the room, leaving Harry looking bewildered.

"What? What'd I say?" Harry asked in confusion, following her out of the room.

Now Gabrielle turned back to Ginny, gathering the sobbing girl into her arms and holding her as she cried.

"I'm a fucking pervert," she sobbed. "And now they'll all hate me."

Gabrielle gently stroked her hair. "No. You're not, and they don't. She's just surprised. She'll come around."

"What would you know? You're parents have always known about you. You're part-veela – you're _supposed_ to be lesbian."

"Your family loves you. They'll find a way to accept you."

"That's what you think."

"I don't 'think' it. I know it. They're pretty open-minded people and they love you."

"You're always so bloody optimistic."

Gabrielle smiled. "Come on Ginny, always look on the bright side of life."

Ginny giggled, wiping her eyes. "Easier said than done."

Hermione returned a few minutes later, seething. "Closed-minded, prejudiced _bastard_! Clueless, homophobic idiot."

Ginny smiled as Hermione continued to rant. Gabrielle doubted that Harry's reaction was the reason Ginny was crying, though it certainly hadn't helped, but just seeing Hermione raging in defense of her friend was good. Especially after the way they had been arguing ever since Hermione got here. Gabrielle knew how amazingly wonderful it felt to have someone sticking up for you, especially when you yourself didn't think you were worth it.

Eventually, Hermione fell silent. She gave Ginny a slightly guilty look. "I'm sorry… about pressuring you into telling someone. I shouldn't have, it wasn't my place to tell you what to do."

Ginny smiled at her. "It's okay. Friends?"

"Just like that?" Ginny nodded and Hermione smiled. "Okay, friends."

"You know," Gabrielle began, addressing Ginny, "you should probably talk to your mother."

Ginny nodded and went downstairs, leaving Gabrielle and Hermione alone. But Gabrielle figured that she should probably talk to her mother on her own, without having Gabrielle or Hermione around to distract them.

* * *

A/N: Stars-n-moons91: Yay! You've started reading this fic too! And Draco'll turn up again in the sequal, if I actually write it. Crossgirl123: Isn't is amazing how having someone with you makes anything a million times easier to bear? Anasazi: I don't think it's much of a secret anymore.. :D Kashiaga, Silver-nex, and Orange: Thanks  
Anyone notice the Monty Python reference?  



	14. Chapter 14

Ginny found her mother in the kitchen. She was preparing dinner as though nothing has happened.

"Mum?" Ginny asked softly.

"Yes?" She didn't turn around, and her voice was strained, as though she was forcing herself to sound calm.

"…I _am_ lesbian,"

"I know that veela girl's been telling you things, but–"

"Mum!" Ginny cut her off. "Gabby didn't pervert me or anything. Gabby has nothing to do with this. I was lesbian long before I ever met her. Ask Hermione – I came out to her last spring."

Now her mother turned to face her. "No. No, you aren't."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before… but I _am_."

Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "No… It's just a phase. You'll outgrow it."

"It's not a phase. It's the way I am."

Now her mother could only shake her head, sinking down into a chair and burying her head in her hands. "How could you do this to me?" she asked, her voice choked with tears.

Ginny felt tears welling in her eyes. Why couldn't her mother just accept it? She took a hesitant step towards the woman, laying a tentative hand on her shoulder. She had no idea what to say now… no idea how to comfort her mother.

Just then, her father and Charlie entered the room. They fell silent the moment they saw Mrs. Weasley.

"What's wrong? Ginny?" Her father sounded confused and concerned.

"…I'm lesbian…" Ginny felt her cheeks flame as she said it, suddenly wishing she could just sink into the floor.

Charlie blinked. "Huh…"

Mrs. Weasley looked up at him, anger flaring in her eyes. "You sister's lesbian and all you can say is 'huh'?"

Charlie shrugged. "Sorry…" He turned to Ginny. "So, you got a girlfriend?"

Ginny felt her flush deepen, even as she breathed a sigh of relief. "…Er…"

Charlie laughed. "Never mind."

Now Mrs. Weasley turned to her husband, who was standing quietly in the doorway – apparently processing what his daughter had just told him. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Mr. Weasley blinked at her. "Uh…"

Mrs. Weasley pushed herself up from her seat, storming out of the room.

After a moment of stunned silence, Charlie spoke. "I… guess I'll finish dinner, then."

Now Mr. Weasley seemed to break out of his stupor. He turned to Ginny. "Are you sure?"

Ginny nodded guiltily.

He sighed. "Alright then."

A huge load seemed to have been lifted from Ginny's shoulders. Her father was okay with it. Her brother was okay with it. Almost laughing with relief, Ginny threw her arms around her father, kissing him on the cheek. He blinked in surprise, then hugged her back.

"You want to help with dinner?" Charlie asked in an amused voice. And for once, Ginny was more than happy to help out.

  


Bill came into the kitchen a few minutes later, looking concerned. Mr. Weasley had gone outside to go round up the twins and Ron for dinner.

"Does anyone one know what's up with Mum?"

Ginny stared down at the pot of soup she was stirring. "I… told her I'm lesbian."

"Oh… I take it she wasn't thrilled."

Charlie glanced over his shoulder at him. "You could put it that way."

"Put what what way?" George asked, entering the kitchen.

Bill glanced at Ginny to see if she was going to explain. When she just stared intently at the soup, he sighed and turned back to George, Fred, and Ron. "Ginny's lesbian and Mum isn't thrilled about it."

Fred and George exchanged a smugly amused glance that Bill decided to ask them about later. Ron was gaping in astonishment.

"But… but… but…"

Charlie glanced at his father. "Hey dad, you remember those Muggle toy boat things you got us when we were little? The ones that always drove Mum crazy 'cause of the sound they made. And Ron always used to imitate them just to annoy her…"

Bill grinned. "Yeah… I thought he'd outgrown that years ago."

Ron quickly shut his mouth, his cheek going pink. Ginny just smiled, her heart much lighter than it had been in… ages. Years. Maybe ever. Just having her family know made her feel giddy with relief, and having them react so well – much better than she had imagined – was, in her mind, nothing short a miracle. And she could deal with her mother. She had the rest of her family behind her – well, except maybe for Ron, but still…

* * *

Molly Weasley came downstairs for dinner to find her daughter grinning broadly, the rest of the family laughing and joking with her. The sight of her smiling, happy face made Molly feel a sudden twinge of guilt. Then Ginny noticed her, and the smile died on her lips and Molly's feeling of guilt deepened. She knew she had hurt her daughter, but Ginny had hurt her at least as much.

With three simple words, Ginny had smashed all Molly's dreams of her daughter having a normal life with a husband and children to little bits and pieces. Molly had always felt that of all her children, Ginny was the closest. Ginny was her only daughter and while she loved all her children dearly, Ginny had always held a special place in her heart. But now…

God, how could she have let this happen? She knew it was her fault – she had been the only female role model in Ginny's life. She should have been there more, should have been able to do… something. And now it seemed it was too late.

And the worst part, of course, was that she hadn't even _noticed_. She had always thought that she was closer to her daughter than anyone else in the world, and she hadn't even noticed. Now that she thought about it, the signs had been there. The distance that had grown between them, the way Ginny seemed to avoid the subject of her boyfriends, the way she tensed when the subject of boys came up, the way she'd look at Hermione, the way her gaze would linger just a little too long on a particularly attractive woman before she guiltily looked away … Yes, the signs had been there. Molly had just refused to see them.

Dinner was tense, with everyone carefully avoiding the subject of Ginny's sexuality – which was difficult, since that was what was foremost in everyone's mind. Gabrielle sat in her usual seat next to Ginny – how could Molly not have noticed how Ginny and Gabrielle looked at each other, or the way they just barely restrained themselves from touching? – and Hermione sat on Ginny's other side. It seemed that they had made up over whatever they had been fighting about – and now Molly had an inkling of what it might have been. How could she have been so blind?

After dinner, the children all went upstairs to bed, leaving Molly, Arthur, and the Delacours alone in the kitchen. Mr. Delacour turned hesitantly towards Molly.

"You know, it's not really such a bad thing."

Molly glared at him. "What would you know? Your children are part veela."

He shrugged. "Do you think that makes it any easier when Gabrielle comes home in tears because her girlfriend's parents accuse her of corrupting their daughter? Or when our neighbors won't let her baby-sit their children because she might abuse them or worse, 'recruit' them? And do you think that means that you can't love and support your daughter just because you're human?"

Molly closed her eyes. Why was everyone else so okay with this? Why didn't anyone else care that Ginny was lesbian? She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Arthur sitting next to her, a look of gentle concern on his face.

"It's not the end of the world," he said softly.

"How can you just accept this?" she asked him, her voice trembling with emotion.

Arthur shrugged. "Well, we have seven children, love. It's not that surprising that _one_ of them turned out to be homosexual."

"…but Ginny…"

Arthur shrugged. "So our daughter's lesbian. There are worse things that could happen."

Molly looked away, unable to put her feelings into words. For several minutes, they all sat in an uneasy silence. Then Mrs. Weasley sighed and climbed to her feet.

"I'm going to bed. Good-night."

* * *

A/N: Jewess84: I checked and 'lesbian' is actually an adjective as well as a noun, and I think it sounds fine. But thanks for pointing that out anyways :P And Mrs. Weasley will come around eventually -- she just has to work a few things out for herself first. Silver-nex: Yeah, Mrs. Weasley's being pretty mean to Ginny, but I don't want her to become the bad guy because she isn't. She has a reason - not a good reason, but it makes sense to her... Most of the rest of this will probably be focusing on Mrs. Weasley's relationship with her daughter. And I hope you like the rest of the family's reactions. Terresa Greenhill: Thanks... More chapters soon.


	15. Chapter 15

That night, Gabrielle lay on Ginny's bed, holding her girlfriend in her arms. Now that Hermione knew about them, she saw no reason not to stay with Ginny. And she was afraid that Mrs. Weasley's reaction had left Ginny more shaken than the girl was willing to admit. For all that Ginny had feared rejection, Gabrielle was fairly sure that she had subconsciously expected instant acceptance. Gabrielle knew _she_ had. For all that her head knew not to expect instant acceptance, her heart felt differently.

"Gabby," Ginny said softly.

"Mmm?"

"Do you think… do you think Mum hates me now?"

Gabrielle shook her head. "No. No parent could hate their child." At least, she really didn't want to think about one who could – especially for something this stupid.

Ginny smiled, closing her eyes again and resting her head against Gabrielle's shoulder. And it felt good – amazingly good – just to be able to hold Ginny without fearing discovery.

  


  
  
Breakfast the next morning wasn't nearly as strained as dinner had been. Mrs. Weasley bustled about the kitchen, serving everyone in a tight silence. But everyone else seemed to be ignoring her presence, talking and joking easily.

"So Ginny," Bill said through a mouthful of eggs. "I'm going to go completely out on a limb here and guess that you're dating Gabrielle."

Ginny blushed a little and nodded. Gabrielle just smiled at her plate.

Charlie laughed. "Hey Fred – you and George didn't have anything to do with this, right?"

Both twins gave falsely guilty smiles. "Well… now that you mention it–"

"–afraid not. Lovely idea–"

"–but we didn't think of it."

Charlie laughed. "Just checking. Well, what do you expect coming from a family of all guys?" They all laughed and no one seemed to notice Mrs. Weasley's slight wince.

Suddenly Ron looked up, as though something had just occurred to him. "But Ginny… what about all those boys you've dated? And what about your crush on Harry?"

Ginny sighed, staring at her plate. "Well… I guess Harry was mostly just hero worship. I never actually had a crush on him. And I didn't really like any of the guys I dated as more than friends."

Ron shrugged, not really understanding but accepting her explanation. When Ginny got up to leave the table, Harry followed her out of the room.

"Ginny?"

She turned to face him, tensing as she remembered his initial reaction to her sexuality. "What?" she asked, a little more sharply than she had intended.

He winced slightly. "I just… I'm sorry. About what I said yesterday. I shouldn't have said it – it was rude, uncalled for, cruel, and I'm sorry."

Ginny knew that Hermione had spent hours last night yelling at him and that she had probably forced him into apologizing. But an apology was an apology, and it was all she was going to get. "Okay. Apology accepted."

He gave her a hesitant smile, which she returned. "So, how about we all play some Quidditch before it gets too hot out?"

* * *

  
  
When everyone else had gone outside to play or watch Quidditch, Molly set about cleaning up the kitchen. She was the only one in the house and most of the time she didn't really resent her work as a housewife. In a house with this many people, it gave her some time to herself – time which she desperately needed right now. She set about doing the dishes, the familiar, if usually tedious, task soothing her.

Charlie's words still echoed through her mind. "What do you expect coming from a family of all guys?" Molly supposed she had always been too busy with housework and raising seven children to be the mentor she should have been for Ginny. The boys had had not only their father, but all their brothers to show them how to act. Ginny had only had her mother. And Molly had failed her.

She had failed her in every way possible. She had failed as a role model and now her only daughter was lesbian. She had failed as a mother and hadn't even _noticed_ that anything was wrong until Ginny all but shoved it down her throat. And much though she might wish otherwise, she feared that this wasn't "just a phase." No, now that she thought about it, the signs had been there far to long for this to be "just a phase."

She wasn't sure when or what the first sign that perhaps something was wrong with Ginny had been, but it had been ages ago. When she was four, Ginny said that when she grew up she wanted to marry her best friend – a girl named Casey. That was when Molly should have known – or at least guessed. But they had simply thought it was cute at the time and gently explained to her that that was impossible. Ginny was a girl and she was going to grow up and marry a boy. After that, Ginny had developed her obsession with Harry Potter everyone had forgotten all about it.

But now… God, how could she have been so blind? How could she have let this happen?

The thought of her daughter, her beloved Ginny, having to live as a lesbian was terrible. She could never live a normal life. She'd have to live with everyone's prejudices for the rest of her life, she'd never be able to get married or have children, never have a _real_ relationship… And it was Molly's fault.

By the time she was finished with the dishes and the laundry, it was time for lunch. She made sandwiches and brought them outside. They had finished their Quidditch game, and not everyone was scattered over the yard, playing and relaxing. Something about the scene made her grit her teeth in suppressed anger. Everyone was so content and having so much fun – after she'd worked the entire morning, trying to keep the house in order and to sort out her feelings about Ginny. How could everyone else be in such a good mood when she was feeling so confused? It wasn't fair!

But she held her tongue, holding her irritation and anger firmly in check as everyone took the sandwiches without even so much as a 'thank-you' and returned to what they had been doing.

* * *

  
  
Ginny watched mutely as her mother returned to the house with the now-empty tray – but not before casting a firmly disapproving look in Ginny and Gabrielle's direction.

She glanced down at the sandwich her mother had made, suddenly no longer hungry. Why couldn't her mother just accept her the way everyone else had?

"Ginny?" Gabrielle asked in concern. "Are you alright?"

Ginny stared at her for a moment, then forced a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She took a bite of her sandwich, chewing and swallowing mechanically.

Gabrielle didn't look convinced, but she didn't say anything. Somehow, Ginny managed to finish the sandwich, though it seemed to turn to lead in her stomach. A part of her wanted to cry, but she didn't, not where everyone could see her. Maybe tonight, once everyone else was asleep. But not now.

* * *

When Hermione and Gabrielle came into Ron's room, Ron and Harry were still in their pajamas. They looked up at Hermione's knock.

"Hey Hermione," Harry greeted her brightly. Then they noticed Gabrielle. "Ah... what's she doing here?"

"Ginny's still sleeping..."

Harry shrugged and made room for Hermione on his mattress. Hermione motioned for Gabrielle to sit down next to her.

"Well, Hermione, you'll be very happy to know that Harry and me got a start on our homework last night," Ron announced sarcastically.

"Harry and _I_," Hermione corrected absently. Ron rolled his eyes. "And it's about time. You've only got a week left."

"A whole week? Must be a record."

Hermione glared at Ron and he laughed. She shook her head, muttering, "Some people just don't understand the importance of academics."

Gabrielle listened in silence as they joked about school and homework, until Ron complained that he still hadn't eaten and they went down to breakfast.

Ginny still wasn't up yet, so Gabrielle decided to go check on her before joining them in the kitchen. Ginny was usually even more of an early-bird than Hermione, and it was almost 10:30.

Gabrielle found her still in bed, her face buried in her pillow and her shoulders shaking with muffled sobs. Gabrielle walked over to her, carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed and laying a hand on Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny looked up, hurriedly wiping her eyes.

"You okay?"

Ginny nodded, sniffing. "I'm fine."

"What were you crying about?"

"...nothing... I'm fine." Gabrielle gave her a skeptical look and after a moment, she sighed. "Mum and Dad were yelling at each other… about me. It's no big deal, okay?"

"So, how about breakfast."

Ginny smiled. "Just gimme a minute to get dressed and I'll be right down."

Gabrielle leaned forwards, giving her a quick kiss. "I'll meet you downstairs."

When Gabrielle entered the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley didn't even look at her, though even from behind she radiated a furious hostility. Harry, Ron and her Hermione were eating their pancakes in silence. Mr. Weasley was sitting across from them, eating slowly and casting occasional helpless glances at his wife. It seemed that they had fought. Gabrielle nervously found a plate and sat down next to Hermione, carefully keeping a safe distance from Mrs. Weasley.

A few minutes later, Ginny entered the kitchen. She no longer looked like she'd been crying, though she seemed to be on the verge of tears again. She glanced briefly at Mrs. Weasley before looking back down at the floor. Eyes down, she took a plate and sat down next to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle wished she could do something to comfort Ginny, but she had the feeling that if anyone said or did anything but eat, Mrs. Weasley would explode again. So they all ate in silence as Mrs. Weasley furiously cleaned last night's dishes. Gabrielle was somewhat amazed that she hadn't broken anything yet, especially with the way she was slamming the dishes into the cupboard one she'd finished scrubbing every last crumb of dirt – and probably some of the paint – off them.

"Mum…" Ginny said hesitantly. Mrs. Weasley spun around.

"What?" she snapped.

Ginny looked at her for a long moment, fear and uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

""Well?" Mrs. Weasley prompted impatiently.

Ginny looked back down at her plate. "Nothing," she muttered.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head in irritation and turned back to the dishes. Ginny stared at her plate, not eating anything. She left the table as soon as she could, returning to her room instead of going outside like she usually did. Gabrielle followed her and found her lying facedown on her bed. She looked up when she heard the door shut behind Gabrielle.

"Are you okay?" she asked, sitting down next to her.

Ginny laughed. "I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't have even said anything." She glanced up at the ceiling, a brief flash of emotion passing over her face. "I just… I'm just so tired of her being so mad at me. But I don't know what to do – to make it all right. I don't know what to say to her…"

Suppressing the urge to run downstairs and start screaming at Mrs. Weasley – why couldn't she see what she was doing to her daughter? – Gabrielle reached out, lightly touching her hand. "It's not your fault."

"I know…" Ginny closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was smiling again. "Wanna go to Diagon Alley today?"

"Sure."

* * *

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long... I got a little stuck and had to completely rewrite it about six times and I'm still not happy with it. So constructive critism of this chapter would be really helpful, because I'm not sure how to fix it...  
  
Tora88: Thanks... I wanted to make this a little more realistic than having everyone be okay with it. I wish that was the way it was in real life, but I know it isn't. Silver-nex: Thanks. I'm glad you liked Ron's reaction. Anasazi: Thanks... That's pretty what I was going for... Crossgirl134: hmmm... I think it would make sense for the parent of the same gender to take it harder. Thanks. Orange and Kashiaga: Thanks :P


	16. Chapter 16

Ginny and Gabrielle were sitting at a table outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor along with three of Ginny's friends: Colin Creevey, a shy, quiet boy who only ever seemed to talk about Harry Potter; Luna Lovegood, a rather odd and slightly unnerving young witch who sat with wand tucked safely behind her ear, had several strange-looking flowers braided into her hair, and kept going on about Horntailed Skrangdoodles and other such nonsense; and Orla Quirke, an earnest, dark-skinned, intelligent young witch with a tendency of illustrating her speech with expressive gestures.

At first, Mrs. Weasley hadn't wanted to let them go to Diagon Alley, despite the fact that they had gone on their own several times before. In the end, they managed to convince her to let them go, but only if one of Ginny's brothers went with them. Charlie volunteered, saying that there was a book he wanted that had just come out and he wanted to get to Flourish and Blotts before it was sold out. Once they got there, Charlie had told them to meet him at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch at 1:00 and went off to Flourish and Blotts.

They had run into Colin, Luna, and Orla inside Gambol & Japes, a joke shop rivaled only by Fred and George's own shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Ginny had introduced Gabrielle as 'Fleur's sister,' which had annoyed Gabrielle. But if Ginny wasn't ready for her friends to know she wasn't just Fleur's little sister, well, Gabrielle would give her time.

When they had each bought all they wanted, the five of them had decided to get some ice cream. Ginny hadn't bought anything, but the others had each found plenty on which to spend their few knuts and sickles on.

Gabrielle was currently trying to follow the other's rapid conversation. She knew enough English to talk to the Weasleys without much of a problem, but listening to four people speaking in quick, slang-filled English about people and things she had hardly heard of before – like Professor Snape, Cornelius Fudge, or muggle trains – left her feeling confused and isolated.

On the other hand, Ginny seemed to be enjoying herself, which was good. She'd been slowly crumbling under the strain of her mother's continued rejection. This was the first time in days that Gabrielle had seen Ginny relax and enjoy herself.

Gabrielle took another spoonful of her raspberry ice cream, watching as Orla gestured wildly as she spoke. Gabrielle couldn't make out more than one or two words in ten, but from everyone's expression, she seemed to be telling a joke – something about a train station? - Gabrielle wasn't sure, but the others laughed when she finished, and Gabrielle smiled in an instinctive response.

By the time they finished their ice cream, it was almost noon.

"I have to meet Charlie for lunch," Ginny told them, standing up.

"You just had ice cream," Colin pointed out.

Ginny shrugged. "Life's uncertain. Eat dessert first."

"In that case, I'm going to get lunch too," Orla said.

* * *

After lunch, Charlie took the five of them back to the Burrow. They each took turns talking to their respective families through the fireplace at the Burrow – except for Orla, who used a cell phone since her parents were muggles – and agreed to stay for dinner.

Fred and George had returned to their flat in Diagon Alley that day, leaving the Burrow marginally less crowded.

They ended up playing a game of Wizard Life (modeled on the muggle game and therefore extremely unpopular amongst the Slytherins). None of Ginny's siblings joined in – not that she'd expected them to.

After briefly explaining the rules to Gabrielle, they chose the color of their brooms – long, vaguely broom-shaped pieces of painted wood with four holes along the handle into which the pegs representing the people were placed. Ginny chose red, Orla orange, Luna yellow, Gabrielle blue, and Colin white. Then they each took a peg (small cylinders with cones on top that were probably supposed to be hats). Everyone chose pink, of course, except for Colin, who obviously took a blue one.

After a moment of consideration, Ginny decided to start at Hogwarts instead of starting directly with her career, not that it really mattered. So did everyone else except Luna, who therefore went first. Colin shuffled the career cards, and she took three.

"So, what did you get?" Orla asked, peering over her shoulder.

"An Auror, a Seer, or a Dragon Trainer," Luna replied.

"Hmm... You should be the Auror. That wizard's cute."

Ginny suppressed her reflexive wince at the words 'that wizard's cute.' She may have come out to her family, but she had no idea how her friends would react. She glanced over Luna's shoulder, trying desperately to focus on the male Auror, not the large-bosomed, smiling blonde witch. They were both smiling broadly as they aimed their wands at some unseen evil lurking in the shadows behind them, and the woman kept flashing her leg at Ginny. Of course, the man behaving similarly, but Ginny hardly noticed.

Luna shook her head. "Aurors can't do much." She set the card aside along with the Dragon Trainer. "The Seer's best." The picture on the Seer card was of a young psychic who looked alarmingly like a younger, sexier version of Professor Tralawney. Luna nodded to herself and handed the other cards back to Colin. Her peg sprouted a shawl and a small, clear ball appeared next to it.

Colin put the cards away and held out the salary cards. Luna took one.

"So?" Orla asked impatiently.

Luna showed them: 17,000 galleons; the second highest salary there was. She collected her first payday and spun, her piece moving forwards the two spaces she had spun and landing on 'Get Trampled by Herd of Centaurs: Lose next turn.' A herd of centaurs appeared in front of Luna's piece, running over her and vanishing, leaving a temporarily dented and flattened piece of plastic in their wake. A moment later, it sprung back up, repairing itself.

Now it was Ginny's turn. She spun a three, landing on 'Become a Prefect: Get a Life Card.' A small, gold badge appeared on her peg's chest and Ginny took her Life Card, turning it over to look at.

"I thought you were supposed to wait until the end of the game to look at the Life Cards," Colin protested.

"Probably," Ginny agreed. "I haven't read the rules in ages. But it's much more fun to read them as you get them."

"So what's it say," Orla asked.

"'Win Order of Merlin, First Class: 10,000 galleons.'"

They each took their turns, inching around the board and collecting Life Cards and money. Orla was the first to graduate, and chose to become a Goblin at Gringotts – one of the two jobs actually requiring the NEWTs you gained by starting at Hogwarts. Her piece shrunk, sprouting a long, pointed nose and long-fingered hands on short arms. Orla also got one of the lowest possible salary – 7,000 galleons. Gabrielle graduated next, taking the Mediwizard Career Card and getting a salary of 9,000 galleons. Her peg developed the robes of a Mediwizard. Ginny ended up becoming Minister of Magic (the only other job that required having your NEWTs) with a 13,000 galleon salary and Colin – much to everyone's amusement – became a Dementor at Azkaban. His piece was now apparently shrouded in a tattered piece of cloth, though the creepy effect was somewhat diminished by the fact that it was still light blue. His salary was 15,000 galleons.

"Somehow, I don't think the _real_ dementors get a salary anywhere near that," Ginny commented.

"Guess I'm just special, then," Colin replied.

On her next spin, Luna landed on 'Get Married.' She took a blue peg, fitting it in behind her own pink one.

"So who's that?" Orla asked, nodding at the blue peg. "Kevin Entwhistle? Michael Corner?"

"Maybe," Luna said, unperturbed.

"Stewert Ackerly?" Colin tried.

"Or Owen Couldwell? Or _Colin_?"

"Hey!" Colin glared at Orla, who smiled back sweetly. Then he glanced at Luna. "I mean, not that I wouldn't but—"

"Colin?"

Yeah?"

Luna smiled. "Shut up."

"Right."

"And it _could_ happen. Or maybe it's Harry Potter."

"Or _Draco Malfoy_," Colin suggested with an exaggerated shudder.

"Ew," Orla said, making a disgusted face.

Luna ignored them and took a Life Card. "'Discover Law of Conservation of Magic: 4,000 galleons.'"

"What's the Law of Conservation of Magic?" Colin asked curiously.

"No clue," Ginny admitted, looking around at her equally bewildered friends.

"It's a theory that was floating around about 10 years ago," Charlie informed them from the kitchen where he was helping Mum with dinner. He came into the doorway to the living room, continuing. "I think it went something like 'There is only a limited amount of magical energy in the world that gets recycled over and over again.' But no one could figure out what it could actually do or what it really meant in practice and the Ministry had bigger things to focus on so it's more or less been forgotten."

"Is that why it's only worth 4,000 galleons?" Colin wondered.

Charlie shrugged and returned to the kitchen.

A few turns later, Ginny came to the 'Get Married' space. For a moment, she hesitated. Then she took a pink peg and fit it in behind her own, surreptitiously watching her friends to see their reactions. A week ago, she never would have dreamed of doing this, but now the thought of once again taking a blue piece made her want to run screaming in the other direction.

After a moment, Colin looked at her. "That's not Harry Potter, is it?"

Ginny caught Gabrielle's slight, encouraging smile and shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it is." She wasn't quite ready to just tell him 'no.'

"I seriously hope not," Orla said.

"I don't know," Luna said thoughtfully. "Maybe Harry'd make a pretty girl."

"Ugh. I really didn't want that image," Orla replied, making a face.

Luna shrugged. "You never know."

"You never know what?" Harry asked, entering the room and sending Colin scrambling for his camera.

They all burst out laughing and Harry gave them an odd look.

"Trust me," Ginny choked. "You _really _don't want to know."

"Right," Ron said, entering behind Harry, followed by Hermione. "Upstairs and away from the crazed teenage girls."

"Hey," Hermione and Colin said indignantly.

"Er... Girls and boy," Ron amended as Colin snapped a picture of Harry. "And Hermione, I believe 'crazed' was the key word there. You maybe nuts, but you aren't crazed."

Hermione looked slightly appeased and the three of them vanished upstairs, though not before Colin managed to get two more photos of Harry.

"Where were we?" Orla asked, looking around. "Oh, right. Luna and Ginny were turning Harry into a girl."

"I never said this supposed to be Harry," Ginny protested.

"Then who is it?" Colin asked.

Ginny squirmed nervously under Orla, Luna, and Colin's combined gazed until Gabrielle sighed.

"It is Malfoy, of course," Gabrielle said matter-of-factly. "Who would make a better girl?"

Ginny tried to remember if she'd mentioned Malfoy to Gabrielle; she must have, though she wasn't sure what all she'd actually said.

The others seemed to like the idea – both the concept of Malfoy as a girl and Malfoy dating Ginny – and spent the next several turns speculating on this. At some point, Orla said that Malfoy was probably dating Crabbe and Goyle or something and Ginny pointed out that this would make him straight (since they had also decided he was actually female) and therefore wasn't interested in _her_. That gave them pause, but then they decided he was bi and continued spinning wild tails of his secret romance with her.

She wasn't sure whether to find the way everyone seemed to ignore what this would also mean about Ginny relieving or not. Everyone seemed able to picture Malfoy pining after an uninterested Crabbe, but the assumption seemed to be that if he liked Ginny, it had to be mutual. Maybe they were just forgetting that this would also make Ginny lesbian (or at least bi) so they could insult Malfoy, but the fact that they didn't even seem to be _thinking_ about Ginny's sexuality was promising. Right?

Maybe … maybe she could even tell them, if the opportunity presented itself. But every time she might have said something, she froze up and couldn't say a thing.

At this point, Colin had pulled ahead of Luna by spinning a streak of 10s – each of which costing him 1,000 galleons because Ginny was Minister of Magic and could therefore charge 1,000 galleons for 'speeding' – and was the first to buy a house.

Orla held out the cards and Colin took three – a Giant's Cave for 9,000 galleons, an Enchanted Castle for 28,000, and a Haunted Shack for 21,000.

"Who'd pay 21,000 galleons to live in a _Haunted Shack_?" Ginny wondered aloud.

"A dementor might," Orla said with a pointed look at Colin's Career Card.

"Just because I'm a dementor doesn't mean I want to live with _ghosts_," Colin protested.

"But you wouldn't be," Luna said.

"Huh?" Colin looked confused.

"You'd be living at Azkaban. The dementors don't _go home_ after work. They stay at Azkaban," Luna explained.

"Where do they sleep?" Orla asked.

"With the prisoners, of course," Luna said placidly.

For a moment they all looked her, surprised that _she_ had said something like that and at the same time trying to figure out if she knew how that had sounded and if it had been deliberate. Maybe she had just meant that they slept on the island; it was impossible to tell from her expression. Then Colin laughed.

"Now that's an image I really didn't need," Orla said and everyone joined in laughing.

"Come on Colin, you should really buy the Haunted Shack," Ginny chuckled.

"But if I'm not even going to live there, why should I pay _21,000 galleons _for it?" He shook his head. "No, I'm buying the Giant's cave." As he handed back the other two cards, a miniature cave sprang up beside his broom.

"Wait a minute," Orla protested. "If it's a Giant's Cave, isn't there a _giant_ already living there?"

"So we'll be roommates."

"Hmm… wonder if it's a she-giant," Orla mused.

"I'm already married," Colin said, pointing at the pink peg behind his blue one.

"Maybe it's Madame Maxime," Orla suggested. "Don't you have a thing for French women?"

"French _veela_, not French Giantesses."

"Same diff," Orla said and Colin glared at her.

Luna reached the 'Buy a House' square on her next turn and bought a Shoe-House for 5,000 galleons, which Ginny thought was an oddly appropriate place for her to live. Orla picked the Volcanic Island, which cost 13,000.

"And who would pay 13,000 galleons to live on a Volcanic Island?" Ginny asked. "Wouldn't you die the next time it erupted?"

"But you get a _whole island_," Orla pointed out, paying as she did so. A small volcano appeared next to her broom, its rim dripping with red lava.

Ginny was unconvinced, but said nothing and Orla took her turn. Gabrielle was the last to buy a house, and ended up with a choice between a Land Far Far Away, an Enchanted Castle, or a Gingerbread House.

"Wait, why's the Gingerbread House more expensive than the Enchanted Castle?" Orla asked, looking at Gabrielle's cards.

"Because the house is dessert, too," Colin replied. "And just think of all the spells they must have used to keep it from collapsing."

"Gingerbread isn't very sturdy," Luna agreed. "Especially when it gets wet."

On her next turn, Ginny landed on 'Have Twins!' She added two pegs to the two already on her broom and it grew a little longer, another hole appearing behind the first four in case Ginny had another child. Her piece promptly fell over the moment she took her hand away and it took her three tries to get it to stay upright. She had never understood why wizards couldn't simply be practical and use cars like muggles did; cars were much more stable than brooms, especially since the sticking charms that were supposed to keep the pieces from falling over had long since worn off. At least the spell that moved them forwards worked and didn't knock them over.

"Wait, if you're both girls, how do you manage to have twins?" Colin asked.

Ginny tensed. How indeed?

But Luna simply said, "The same way everyone else does."

"But … don't you kind of need a guy for that?"

Luna shrugged. "There are spells."

"Ugh, I _really_ don't want to know how," Colin said, making a face.

"Well, in the muggle world, there are sperm donors," Orla said thoughtfully. "Wizards don't do that?"

"Sperm donors?" Colin asked with a mix of curiously and embarrassment.

"Um, the game?" Ginny said quickly. She _really _didn't want to get into _that_ discussion. Not with her mother in the other room.

"Right," Colin said.

Ginny took her Life Card: 'Defeat a Basilisk: 10,000 galleons.'

"That would have come in handy in your first year, wouldn't it?" Colin said.

Ginny felt her stomach go cold at the memory of Harry standing over her, soaked in blood and holding the diary in his hand. Her first thought had been to wonder why Harry was covered with blood and where they were. Then she had looked behind Harry and seen the lifeless form of the basilisk and it had all come back to her: the diary, coming down there, Tom Riddle….

"Yeah," she said, almost to herself. "Yeah it would have."

Colin, not noticing her expression, grinned – was she really that good at hiding her emotions, or was everyone just really oblivious? "Maybe you should give it to Harry. You know, since he actually _did _defeat a basilisk."

Ginny stared at him numbly. "I don't think he needs a Life Card to prove it," she said hollowly. Personally, she doubted he even wanted to remember the incident – she certainly didn't. But he'd seen so many things since then, maybe he didn't even mind anymore. And _he'd _been the one to defeat the basilisk, not the one who practically sold her soul to a diary and betrayed the entire school. So maybe it was easier for him.

"I don't know, maybe he'd like it," Colin said, still oblivious.

"Colin, just take your turn."

He shrugged and complied, landing on 'Have Fortune Told: Pay Seer 2,000 galleons.'

"Blimey Luna, your prices are steep," he muttered, handing over the money.

"Dinner," Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen, cutting off any response Luna might have had.

"Coming," Ginny called, hearing two similar calls from upstairs. She turned back to her friends. "We can finish later, or we can just call it quits."

"I should probably be getting home," Orla said.

Colin and Luna agreed, and they started adding up their money and Life Cards. Luna won and they put the game away, then went into the kitchen for dinner.

* * *

A/N: Erk... sorry this chapter took so long.  
Anasazi: Mrs. Weasley will, eventually. (key word: eventually) Silver-nex: Finally? What's with this 'finally'? It took him all of about 12 hours, during most of which they were all asleep. :D Cossgirl123: Thanks... Life can be pretty sucky, can't it? Slayerwitch: ...you? Tora88: Sigh... yeah, we can dream. But I promise you that if we ever get over the whole gender thing, there'll be something else for people to grip about. Thanks. :D Kashiaga and Master of the Flames/Outlaw of the West: Thanks  
Orange: Thanks for beta-ing and giving suggestions. And to the entire Cete: Thanks a million for that game of Life which kicked my out of my slump in this fic. Love you all!! :-P  



	17. Chapter 17

After dinner, Mr. Weasley took Colin, Luna, and Orla home while Mrs. Weasley cleared the table. Ginny wandered into the living room. Gabrielle was talking to Fleur in French, and Ginny wasn't feeling very social right now.

She flopped down on the ratty old sofa, feeling slightly sick. She couldn't help replaying the day's events in her head, wondering if she should have told her friends. Now that she thought about it, it didn't seem like a very good idea and part of her was glad she hadn't managed it. But part of her had been prepared to take the leap and felt disappointed that she hadn't, and part of her just wanted to tell them and be done with it.

Before, she had been too preoccupied with Hermione and her family to give all that much thought to what her friends might think. The school in general, yes, but not specific people. But now… now she found that she had to go through the whole 'worrying about telling everybody' stage yet again. Which was discouraging, to say the least.

"Ginny."

She looked up and saw Charlie standing in the doorway. "Yeah?"

Charlie sighed and walked over to her. "You haven't told your friends yet, have you?"

Ginny winced slightly at the statement and shook her head.

"You never know, but I really don't think they'd take a contract out on you if you did tell them."

"But you never know," Ginny replied, feeling a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Charlie could almost always cheer her up. The twins pulled pranks, which were funny, though sometimes annoying; Bill always knew how to have a good time and party; Ron had taught her to play chess and always wanted to protect her; Percy … Percy _had_ always been able to help with homework and telling you how the rules were supposed to work; but Charlie could always make her laugh, even in the most dour of circumstances. It wasn't even what he said – it was _how_ he said it.

Now Charlie reached out to ruffle her hair, and had it been anyone else she would have curtly informed them that she was 15 not five, thank-you-very-much. But right now, she found herself wanting very much for Charlie to let her be five years old again. When she was five, she had never had to worry about her friends rejecting her or her mother never speaking to her again. When she was five, she could just look up at the grown-ups around her and know in the very depths of her heart that they would make everything okay.

But she knew better now. She had seen her parents afraid, had seen trusted grown-ups turn out to be evil – like Mad-Eye Moody, who was actually Barty Crouch – and had found that all the heroes and teachers at Hogwarts hadn't been able to protect anyone from the Basilisk. She had seen that adults could lie and be tricked and hurt or hurt you just like anyone else. She had seen that there were limits even to Dumbledore's vast accumulation of knowledge and had learned that even her own brother could betray his family for no reason at all. Professor Umbridge ought to be enough proof that adults could not simply be trusted. And as if her faith in adults hadn't been shattered enough by now, her own mother wasn't even speaking to her anymore – simply because Ginny had told her a truth she hadn't liked.

For a moment, feeling Charlie's hand in her hair, seeing his strong, familiar face made her wish she could go back to that innocence and simplicity. Then he smiled and got up.

"You should come visit me in Romania some time," he said.

"Oh?"

He nodded. "I can think of three lesbian Dragon Trainers right off. For some reason, the profession seems to attract lesbian women. And straight guys who are more interested in the lesbian women than in the dragons – the scaly, fire-breathing, winged ones, that is. But those guys don't last long."

"Kind of odd that so many lesbians would decide to spend the rest of their lives taking care of _dragons_," Ginny commented with a grin.

"Well, there are also a substantial number of lesbian Quidditch players who ride around on broomsticks all day." Charlie shrugged. "But I'm going back into the kitchen before Mum hears us. I really don't think she's in the mood to be tolerant. And you should probably go up to bed."

Ginny nodded and stood up, waiting until Charlie had returned to the kitchen before making her way upstairs in a slightly better mood. Of course, she still had no idea whether or not she should come out to her friends and her mother still hated her, but at least she had the rest of her family supporting her.

The next day, Bill took Fleur and her parents sightseeing, though Gabrielle decided to stay at the Burrow. Charlie and Arthur had to go to work, which left only Molly and the five teenagers in the house. It was a nice day outside – sunny, but not too hot, at least in the shade.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

They all ate lunch outside in the garden. Hermione spent the entire meal pestering Harry and Ron about their as-yet unfinished homework.

"What on Earth were you _doing_ all that time you spent at the Dursleys?" Hermione asked Harry in irritation.

"Er… not my homework."

"So I'd gathered," Hermione snapped. "You have less than a week left until school starts. Exactly when are you planning on finishing your homework?"

Harry shrugged. "Later?"

"Be glad we've _started_ it," Ron said through his sandwich.

"But you haven't worked on it at all since you started it," Hermione pointed out.

"We only started it day before yesterday," Ron protested. "What do you want from us?"

"Finished homework. You have six days – _six days – _to finish an entire summer's worth of homework."

Hermione turned to Ginny in exasperation. "Have _you _done you're homework yet?"

Ginny, who had been listening to Hermione and Ron's exchange with amusement, shrugged. "Most of it."

Molly watched her daughter guiltily out of the corner of her eye, wondering how anyone who could smile and talk with her friends the way Ginny was, and play board games and generally act so _normal­_ could be … lesbian. And wondering how everyone else could simply accept it and move on. Everyone but Molly.

Hermione's looked back at her friends. "See? She can do it."

"Yeah, but she's a girl," Ron pointed out. "And girls always do their homework. Sugar and spice and all that."

"But that doesn't mean you can't try…." Hermione looked at her friends and shook her head. "I wish you two would devote more time to studying."

"Oh, lay off will you?" Ron said. "It's summer."

"Yeah, it's not like we'll be young and stupid forever."

Ron nodded vigorously in agreement. "We have to seize the moment."

Hermione snorted. "Well, you're right about the young thing. But I'm pretty sure you'll be stupid forever."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence," Ron said, making a face at her.

"My pleasure," Hermione said, smiling sweetly, and turned to Gabrielle. "Do you have any homework?"

"Yes."

"Have you finished it yet?" she asked.

"No."

"Have you started it?"

"Yes."

Hermione looked at Gabrielle for a moment, then asked, "So … what's school like in France?"

"We learn," Gabrielle replied.

"Right. What do you learn?" Hermione tried again.

"Magic," Gabrielle informed her, taking another bite out of her sandwich.

"And ... what are the classes like?"

"Magical."

"Uh... other than that...?"

"Well let's see. There are teachers," Gabrielle said, a slight smile playing around her lips. "And students. And classrooms and homework."

"So ... how many days of school do you have?"

"Way too many."

Ron laughed at that and Molly suppressed a smile. It was hard to dislike Gabrielle, much though Molly wished she could. It was hard to remember that Gabrielle was part veela and had seduced her youngest daughter when the girl was sitting across from her and not answering Hermione's questions. And smiling at Ginny; she was always smiling at Ginny, if only with her eyes. And Ginny was always looking at her. How could Molly not have noticed it?

"What do they teach you?" Hermione asked.

Gabrielle smiled. "They teach us to be pretty and French and eat Muggles. And squibs... squibs are good with jam."

"What about blond pureblood gits?" Ron asked, perking up. "Who spend way too much time on their hair, just happen to be in Slytherin, and suck up to Snape all the time?

"We don't eat purebloods," Gabrielle informed him.

"Fuck," said Ron.

"Language!" Molly snapped, feeling less tolerant of swearing than usual. Ron just rolled his eyes, which Molly found irrationally annoying – he was 16; of course he was rolling his eyes at her.

"Yes, we do generally fuck the purebloods," Gabrielle said. "And they _do_ taste good…. Much better than the mudbloods," she added with a sidelong glance at Ginny.

Okay, now Molly could hate Gabrielle. She cleared her throat, firmly suppressing the urge to scream at Gabrielle for everything she's done to corrupt Ginny. Gabrielle went back to her sandwich, unaware of Molly's anger.

"What about greasy, slimy gits who teach potions?" Ron asked. "Do they taste good?"

"Our Potions teacher is wonderful," Gabrielle said.

"Oh?"

"Yes. She's quite pretty and she's very nice. Almost as nice as the Divination teacher, but much prettier."

Molly almost choked on her sandwich. _She._

"What's she look like?" Ginny asked, sounding _far_ too interested.

"Which one?"

"Both."

Molly closed her eyes. She _really_ didn't want to hear this.

"Well, the Potions teacher—Professor D'Aubigne—has really long, beautiful brown hair. The Divination teacher has black hair, and she's even shorter than most of the kids in our class. But everyone respects her because she'll kill you if you don't." Gabrielle smiled fondly and Molly stared fixedly at her plate. "Everyone wants Professor D'Aubigne to get together with the Quidditch coach. I think because both they're both single and nice and good-looking. But Monsieur Douay--the Quidditch coach--won't ask her out. Some of my friends think he's too shy, and a few students have even tried to set them up, but it's never worked. And according to one of my friends, Monsieur Douay is actually gay and that's why he won't ask her out, but we've never asked."

_And I'll bet this is all his _fault, Molly thought. Then realized just how dumb that was – she didn't even know that he _was _gay, and even if he were, Ginny had never even met him. A few weeks ago, she would have been perfectly happy to have her daughter have a homosexual teacher or friend. But a week ago, her daughter hadn't been homosexual herself. Now she was groping out for anyone else to blame for her failure; but Ginny was her daughter, her responsibility, and she had no one to blame but herself.

"Anyway," Gabrielle continued. "The Divination teacher also conducts the choir. She has a beautiful singing voice."

"Are you in the choir?" Hermione asked.

Gabrielle shook her head "No, but a friend of mine is and she says it's a lot of fun. Of course, she also thinks trying to set up the teachers and raising grindylows is fun, so who knows. When we were little, she used to go around singing this song about a little lost grindylow to annoy people and she tried to keep one as a pet during our first year at Beauxbatons. But then the Divination teacher found it and killed it, and gave her this lecture about how grindylows are dangerous Dark Creatures."

"Your friend sounds like Hagrid," Ron muttered.

"She says that there is no such thing as an evil or good thing. There is good in everything – you just have to look a little harder to find it in some things than in others."

"I don't suppose she's part Giant, is she?" Ron asked.

Gabrielle blinked in surprise. "No."

"Just checking."

After they finished lunch, Hermione managed to persuade everyone to finish their homework – if 'Do it or I'll hex you' counts as persuading – and Molly started working in her garden, trying not to think about the way Ginny had looked at Gabrielle.

* * *

A/N: Outlaw of the West: Hehee... glad people liked the game. :P Keep going... right... I think I can manage that. Silver-nex: Thanks. Is this a quick enough update for you? Kashiaga: Thanks :D  
And Orange: Thanks for helping me brainstorm the dialogue and, of course, editing it.  



End file.
